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LETTERS 


FROM 


THE    FAR    EAST 


BEING   IMPRESSIONS   OF 

A  TOUR   AROUND    THE   WORLD 

BY   WAY   OF 

ENGLAND,    INDIA,   CHINA,  AND    JAPAN 
DURING    1885-86 


BY 


De  Lancey  Floyd-Jones 

COLONEL   UNITED   STATES   ARMY 


NEW  YORK 
PUBLIC   SERVICE   PUBLISHING   CO. 

1887 


Copyright,  1887, 
Br  DE  LANCEY  FLOYD-JONES. 


TO 

MY   BROTHER   AND   SISTERS, 

FOR   WHOSE   INFORMATION 
THESE      LETTERS     WERE      MAINLY      WRITTEN, 

I    DEDICATE   THIS   VOLUME. 


PREFACE. 


The  letters  in  this  volume  were  written  in  the 
course  of  a  tour  around  the  world,  in  1885-6,  and 
appeared  in  journals  of  the  time.  They  are  pre- 
sented now  in  book  form,  in  the  hope  that  they 
may  interest  friends  and  fellow  travellers. 

The  only  claim  made  for  them  is,  that  they  give 
a  plain  narrative  of  the  journey,  and  some  details 
concerning  the  places  of  note  which  I  visited. 

'  DeL.  F-J. 

Unqua, 
South  Oyster  Bay,  L.  I., 
January  yth,  i88j. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


I. 

PAGE. 

Outward  Bound — New  York's  Beautiful  Harbor — Visiting  the  Statue — 
Bartholdi,  Lesseps,  and  the  French  Delegation — The  Island  of  Bed- 
loe — Fellow  Passengers — Comforts  of  the  Germanic — Queenstown 
Harbor 10 

II. 

Liverpool'to  London — Up  the  Mersey — Liverpool  Docks — How  they 
are  Constructed — London  Dray  Horses — Fast  Trains  of  the  North- 
western Road — Beautiful  Country 17 

III. 

English  Country  Life — Hotel  Regent  at  Leamington — An  Afternoon 
Drive — Kenilworth  Castle — Rooks  and  Rookeries — Comfortable 
Apartments — Warwick  Castle — Some  Handsome  Rooms — Bedwell 
Park — Driving  from  Station — Game  and  Fruit — A  Family  Dinner — 
Household  Items — A  Spacious  Home-Guest's  Register — Hatfield 
House 32 

IV. 

London  to  the  Adriatic — Hotels  of  Venice — The  Gondolas — Travelling 
Expenses — Paris  American  Colony — Modern  Paris — Through  the 
St.  Gothard  Tunnel — City  of  the  Doges — Leaving  Venice 40 

v. 

Venice  to  the  Red  Sea — The  Harbof^  of  Ancona  and  Brindisi — The 
Good  Ship  Assa?n — A  Large  India  Mail — Alexandria  in  Egypt — A 
Comfortable  Dinner  on  the  Quinnebaug — The  Suez  Canal — The 
Red  Sea — Collecting  the  Revenue 50 


Vlii  TABLE    OF  CONTENTS. 

VI. 

PAGE. 

Aden  to  Bombay — English  Coaling  Points — Aden's  Water-Works — 
Pack  Camels  and  their  Drivers — First  Impressions — Appearance  of 
Bombay  Harbor — Bombay  Tramways — Taking  your  own  Servant 
to  a  Dinner-party 5^ 

VII. 

Hindoo  and  Parsee — Street  Scenes — Funeral  Rites — Towers  of  Silence 
— Cremating — Arabian  and  Persian  Horses — Arab  Horse  Dealers 
— Bullock  Carts  and  Mode  of  Driving 67 

VIII. 

The  Camp  of  Exercise — Visiting  Officers  and  some  of  their  Entertain- 
ments— Various  Nations  Represented  at  the  Manoeuvres — Prospects 
of  a  Pleasant  Journey — The  Military  Problem  and  Military  Oper- 
ations— The  Umpire's  Criticism 76 

IX. 

Bombay  to  Delhi — Prospect  from  a  Car-window — Irrigation  in  India — 
Breakfasting  at  Ajmere — The  Maharaja's  Palace  at  Jeypoor  and 
the  Stables — The  Great  Mosque  at  Delhi  and  its  Construction — 
The  Kutoob  Minar  and  its  Beautiful  Proportions 85 

X. 

Delhi  to  Lahore — Indian  Railways  and  some  Scenes  along  the  Line — 
Simla  and  Amritzar — The  Golden  Temple  at  Amritzar — Siks  and 
Fakirs — A  Drive  about  Amritzar — The  American  Christian  Mission 
at  Lahore — Mausoleum  of  Ranjit  Singh — Some  Account  of  the 
Koh-i-nur  Diamond,  and  its  Value — Museum  and  Gardens  of 
Lahore 98 

XI. 

Soldiering  in  India — Description  of  a  Luxurious  Tent — The  Headquar- 
ters Mess — The  Rank  and  File  of  the  India  Army — East  India 
Uniforms — The  Pay  of  the  Enlisted  Men — An  Elephant  Battery — 
Manly  Sports  of  Officers  and  Men — The  March  Past — Native 
Chiefs — The  Viceroy's  Tribute no 


TABLE    OF  CONTENTS.  IX 

XII. 

PAGE. 

Delhi  to  Agra — Buildings  at  Futhepoor  Sikri — The  Lions  of  Agra — A 
Wedding  Procession — Tomb  of  Akbar  the  Great — Best  Route  to 
Approach  the  Taj  Mahal — Ferguson's  Description  of  the  Taj — The 
Pearl  Mosque,  and  Bayard  Taylor's  Description  of  it — An  East 
Indian  Prison 122 

XIII. 

Agra  to  Benares — Mrs.  Clark's  Hotel  at  Benares — The  Monkey  Tem- 
ple and  Car  of  Juggernaut — A  Morning's  Sail  upon  the  Ganges, 
along  the  City  Front — A  Visit  to  the  Palace  of  the  Maharaja  of 
Benares — Approaching  Calcutta — The  Opium  Trade,  and  the 
Method  of  Preparing  this  Narcotic 131 

XIV. 

Calcutta  to  Darjeeling — Some  of  the  Tall  Peaks  of  the  Himalayas — 
Scenes  along  the  Route — Cast  Iron  Railway  Tics — India  Tea  and 
some  Account  of  its  Growth — View  of  Himalayas  from  Woodland 
Hotel — A  Trip  to  Senchal  and  View  of  Mount  Everest 140 

XV. 

Calcutta  to  Madras — Government  House  at  Calcutta,  and  Ball  given  in 
Honor  of  the  Foreign  Officers — A  Visit  to  the  Botanical  Gardens — 
A  Royal  Menagerie — Bidding  Good-bye  to  Rama — Domestic  Ser- 
vants in  India — Sailing  down  the  Hoogly — A  Profitable  Journey  .  .    149 

XVI. 

Appearance  of  Madras  from  the  Sea,  and  a  Drive  about  the  City — The 
Native  Fishing  Boats,  and  Madras  Natives — A  Splendid  Excursion 
by  Rail  to  the  Mountains  of  Ceylon — Its  Tea  Plantations — On  the 
Track  of  some  Wild  Elephants — Cyngolese  at  Home  and  Fancy  for 
Jewelry 15S 

XVII. 

Ceylon  to  Hong  Kong — Lunching  at  Mount  Lavinia — The  Jin-rick- 
shaw— Pleasant  Company  on  the  Hydaspes — Harbor  of  Penang — 
Some  Noticeable  Stars  in  the  Low  Latitudes — Straits  of  Malacca — 
Singapore  and  a  Lunch  at  the  Club — Halfway  around  the  World, 
and  the  Distances  Travelled — The  China  Sea 160, 


X  TABLE    OF  CONTENTS. 

XVIII. 

PAGE. 

Hong  Kong,*  Canton,  and  Macao — Impressions  of  Hong  Kong  Harbor 
— Some  of  the  Attractive  Features  of  the  City — Hong  Kong  Ama- 
teur Athletic  Sports — Canton  Sights,  and  a  Tramp  through  the 
City — Chinese  Architecture — View  of  the  City  from  the  Five-story 
Pagoda — A  Chinese  Lunch — Court  of  Justice — Chinese  Prisons.. . .    184 

XIX. 

Hong  Kong  to  Shanghai — Travelling  by  the  Messagerie  Line — First 
View  of  Shanghai — Comfortable  Quarters  at  the  Shanghai  Club — 
Filial  Devotion — Starting  up  the  Yang-tsze  River — Some  of  the 
Prominent  Cities  of  the  River 195 

XX. 

Chinese  Fortifications — Some  Earthworks  on  the  Chinese  Rivers — Li- 
hung-Chang,  the  Bismarck  of  China — Collecting  Chinese  Revenue 
through  Foreign  Officials — Chinese  Troops  and  some  Impressions 
of  them — A  Chinese  Theatre — Deformed  Feet,  and  how  Pro- 
duced— The  Yang-tsze  River,  and  its  Tributaries — Chinese  Walled 
Cities 208 

xxi: 

Shanghai  to  Nagasaki — the  Sea  Voyage — Landing  at  Nagasaki — Japan- 
ese Politeness — Tablet  of  General  Grant — Japanese  Crest — Island 
of  Deshima — Straits  of  Simoni-saki — The  Inland  Sea 218 


'   XXII. 

Kobe  to  Kioto — Passports  still  Necessary  in  Japan — Paper  Windows — 
Japanese  Sandals  and  Clogs — Heating  their  Houses — Japanese 
Temples — The  Cherry-blossom  Season,  and  some  of  their  Amuse- 
ments— Down  the  Rapids — Odd  Modes  of  Carrying  Produce — 
Japanese  Carpenters  and  their  Tools — Their  Universal  Politeness — 
Excellent  Farming 231 

*  While  the  official  title  of  this  city  is  Victoria,  I  have  called  it  Hong  Kong,  in  con- 
formity with  the  general  practice  of  its  residents.    See  page  174  for  good  authority. 


TABLE   OF  CONTENTS.  XI 

XXIII. 

PAGE. 

Yokohama  to  Nikko — Japanese  Guides,  and  their  Usefulness  as  Cooks 
— Joining  Excellent  Company — A  Beautiful  Drive — Passing  en 
route  some  Japanese  Troops — Comfortable  Quarters — Visiting  the 
Tombs  of  the  Great  Shoguns,  and  some  of  their  Noticeable  Feat- 
ures— Lake  Chiu-zen-ji,  and  a  Ride  Thither — A  Comfortable  Tea 
House — Through  the  Silk  Producing  District — Faithful  Men 246 

XXIV. 

Yokohama,  and  its  Vicinity — Firing  Tea — The  European  Residences 
.  — A  Cordial  Welcome — Visiting  Miyanoshita — Boys'  Day — Some 
Account  of  Tokio — The  Gesha  Girls — A  Glimpse  of  the  Empress 
— Exhibition  of  Flowers 257 

•  XXV. 

Across  the  Pacific  Ocean — A  Comfortable  Ship — Our  Fellow  Voyagers 
— Great  Circle  Sailing — Passing  the  180"  Meridian,  and  gain  of  a 
Day — The  Daily  Recess — Remarks  on  the  Character  of  Weather, 
etc.  etc. — Two  June  ists — Completion  of  Voyage 266 

XXVI. 

Visiting  the  Yosemite — Misleading  R.R.  Agents — My  Companions  on 
the  Trip — San  Francisco  Bay,  and  View  of  the  City — A  Mountain 
Veteran — Best  Plan  of  Seeing  the  Valley — Splendid  Mountains — 
An  Impressive  Scene — A  Monster  Tree 277 


!    LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE. 

Native  Hack,  Drawn  by  Bullocks,  Bombay Frontispiece. 

The  Jumma  Musjid,  Delhi To  face  page  83 

Golden  Temple  and  Lake,  Amritzar 89 

Tomb  of  the  Great  Akbar,  Sikandarah 115 

The  Taj  Mahal,  Agra 117 

Dorjeeling,  Himalayas  in  the  Distance,  India 139 

Near  Colombo,  Ceylon,  Showing  Out-rigger  Canoes 158 

City  and  Harbor  of  Hong  Kong 171 

City  and  Harbor  of  Macao 183 

Jin-rickshaw,  Japan 245 

Girls  Picking  Tea,  Japan 249 


ERRATA. 


Page    17.  For  "  racks,"  read  "  ricks." 

Page    27.  For  "stated,"  read  "started." 

Page    33.  For  "  Plazzo,"  read  "  Palazzo." 

Page    35.  For  "  part,"  read  "  port." 

Page    61.  For  "of,"  read  "  on." 

Page    64.  For/' Jumma,"  read  "  Jumna." 

Page    S3.  For  "  an,"  read  "on." 

Page    97.  For  "  Maharana,"  read  "  Maharaja." 

Page  110.  For  "Bengal,"  read  "  Bombay." 

Page  131.  For  "related,"  read  "selected." 

Page  133.  For  "  matured,"  read  "maturing." 

Page  144.  For  "  King  Oudh,"  read  "  King  of  Oudh." 


I. 
OUTWARD     BOUND. 

ROYAL    MAIL  S.S.    "GERMANIC," 
AT    SEA,   200    MILES    FROM    QUEENSTOWN. 

October  16th,  1883. 

A  VOYAGE  across  the  Atlantic  in  these  days  has 
so  little  of  novelty  about  it  that  it's  unreason- 
able to  expect  this  letter  to  prove  very  interesting 
or  entertaining.  The  trip  is  so  speedily  accomplish- 
ed, and  so  many  of  your  readers  have  made  it,  that 
it  would  be  egotistical  in  me  to  assume  that  I  could 
tell  anything  that  has  not  been  repeated  over  and 
over  again ;  but,  as  this  may  form  one  of  a  series, 
I  venture  to  send  it,  giving  some  items  of  the  trip — 
particularly  as  I  feel  grateful  to  the  good  ship  "  Ger- 
manic," as,  also,  my  fellow-passengers,  for  the  pleas- 
ant days  I've  passed  on  board. 

The  steamer  left  her  wharf  promptly  at  3.30  p.  m. 
on  October  8th,  but  had  some  little  difficulty  in  turn- 
ing her  head  down  stream,  owing  to  a  strong  tide 
and  head  wind.  This  was,  however,  after  some  de- 
lay, and  the  aid  of  a  strong  tug,  effected,  and  we 
proceeded  down  the  Bay. 


2  OUTWARD    BO  UND. 

There  was  a  slight  haze  in  the  atmosphere,  accom- 
panied by  occasional  showers,  which  prevented  our 
beautiful  harbor  from  appearing  at  its  best,  and  the 
passengers  from  seeing  it  to  advantage  ;  still  we  en- 
joyed the  sail,  and  caught  an  occasional  expression 
of  admiration  from  our  trans- Atlantic  friends,  a  num- 
ber of  whom  we  have  on  board.  As  we  passed  the 
Bartholdi  pedestal,  which  has  increased  materially  in 
height  since  I  last  saw  it,  I  could  not  avoid  express- 
'  ing  the  hope  that  the  next  time  I  passed  it,  the  statue 
of  Liberty  would  be  in  place  and  its  entire  surround- 
ings completed  ;  for  I've  always  been  of  the  impres- 
sion that  from  its  location,  added  to  the  idea  it  repre- 
sents, it  would  form  a  grand  feature  of  New  York's 
superb  harbor,  and  excite  the  admiration  of  the 
thousands  that  are  to  pass  it  in  the  future. 

Since  the  above  was  written,  both  the  pedestal 
and  statue  have  been  completed,  and  the  result  has 
more  than  equaled  my  expectations.  The  pedestal 
is  grand ;  its  proportions,  and  general  design,  do 
great  credit  to  the  architect  Mr.  Richard  F.  Hunt, 
and  the  substantial  and  solid  manner  in  which  its 
base,  together  with  the  pedestal  and  the  bronze  statue 
itself  have  been  carried  up,  reflects  the  highest  credit 
upon  its  engineer,  General  Charles  P.  Stone,  and 
will  serve  as  a  monument  to  his  engineering  skill. 

Its  inauguration  and  acceptance  by  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment through  President  Cleveland,  was  attended 
with  marked  ceremonies,  and  numerous  demonstra- 


RBC 
McU 


VISITING     THE     STATUE.  3 

tions  of  military,  naval  and  civic  honors.  A  large 
delegation  from  the  French  Republic,  made  up  of 
its  best  representatives,  were  invited  guests  and 
joined  in  the  celebration.  I  clip  from  the  journals  of 
the  day  the  impressions  made  on  their  first  seeing  it. 
On  the  visitors  landing  at  Bedlow's  Island,  they  were 
met  by  a  vender  of  photographs  of  the  statue  and 
pedestal,  who  sang  out  "  Souvenirs  of  the  Statue ! 

"  Souvenirs  of  the  Statue  !  The  only  authentic 
Souvenirs !  Picture  on  one  side,  words  on  the  other." 

"  Very  charming,"  said  M.  Bartholdi,  stopping  to 
examine  them.  "  It  is  just  what  should  have  been." 
Then  for  the  next  half  hour  he  was  lost  in  admiring 
criticism  of  the  statue. 

"  The  only  thing  I  find  against  it,"  he  said,  "is  the 
wall  which  is  too  high  for  the  porportions  of  the  fig- 
ure and  the  statue.  I'll  tell  you  what  you  ought  to 
do  one  of  these  days  [to  Mr.  Butler].  You  should 
grade  the  wall  with  earth,  so  that  its  height  be 
diminished.  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  it  at  present. 
The  whole  thing,  however,  I  must  say  is  most  har- 
monious. It  is  a  magnificent  thing.  Of  course,  I 
saw  photographs  of  the  statue  and  pedestal  in  Paris, 
but  they  gave  me  no  idea  what  it  looked  like,  be- 
cause the  sea  was  not  included  in  the  pictures.  Peo- 
ple say  that  the  height  of  the  Brooklyn  bridge  de- 
tracts from  the  height  of  the  statue.  Not  at  all. 
They  don't  conflict  in  the  least.  The  distance  be- 
tween them  is  too  great  for  that.   They  are  both  big 


4  OUTWARD    BOUND. 

things,  but  they  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  with    one 
another. 

"  When  I  first  came  to  America,"  said  M.  Bar- 
tholdi,  radiantly,  "  I  dreamed  of  this.  I  said  to  my- 
self, '  What  a  great  thing  it  would  be  for  this  enorm- 
ous statue  to  be  placed  in  the  midst  of  such  a  scene 
of  life  and  liberty!'  My  dream  has  been  realized.  I 
can  only  say  that  I  am  enchanted.  This  thing  will 
live  to  eternity,"  said  M.  Bartholdi,  looking  with  an 
expression  heavenward  ;  "  when  we  shall  have  pass- 
ed away,  and  everything  living  with  us  has  moldered 
away." 

M.  de  Lesseps  sat  on  the  wall  surrounding  the 
pedestal  and  surveyed  it,  keenly  appreciative.  "What 
can  I  say,  mon  dieu/"  he  asked.  "  I  can  only  say 
that  it  is  a  triumph.  It  represents  the  progress  of 
the  two  nations.  It  tells  of  liberty  on  these  shores. 
Let  the  American  people  abide  by  its  precepts."  M. 
de  Lesseps  insisted  upon  going  up  among  the  scaf- 
folding, and  declined  the  least  assistance.  He  ex- 
amined everything,  talked  with  Bartholdi,  and  was 
quite  as  interested  in  what  he  saw  as  that  gentleman. 
Mile.  Tototte  caused  much  anxiety  to  her  friend  and 
temporary  chaperone,  Mme.  Leon  Max,  by  scamper- 
ing about  in  all  directions.  She  always  brought  back 
with  her  the  latest  bulletins  of  the  gentlemen's 
doings. 

"  It  is  sublime  ! "  said  M.  le  General  de  Pelissier, 
who   went   everywhere,  though  his  wounds   in  the 


THE    ISLAND     OF    BEDLOW.  5 

Crimean  war  had  made  him  lame.  "  Everything 
connected  with  this  statue  is  impressive.  I  am  lost 
in  admiration  of  it." 

"  I  saw  the  statue  in  Paris  at  the  Exposition  of 
1878,"  said  M.  Desmons,  of  the  Chamber  of  De- 
puties, "  and  I  never  hoped  then  to  see  it  here.  I 
can't  express  the  honor  I  felt  when  I  was  asked  to 
make  the  visit.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  statue 
wasn't  built  for  Bedlow's  Island,  but  that  Bedlow's 
Island  was  built  for  the  statue." 

Such  were  the  honest  impressions  of  its  author 
and  the  honored  representatives  of  the  French  na- 
tion, and  I  do  not  think  it  egotistical  in  pronouncing 
it  one  of  the  grandest  and  most  imposing  monu- 
ments of  the  world,  and  a  credit  to  all  connected 
with  it;  and  in  saying  this  I  must  not  omit  to  mention 
the  New  York  *  World,  which  by  its  zeal  and  volun- 
tary use  of  its  own  columns,  did  so  much  toward 
arousing  the  spirit  of  all  classes,  to  contribute  to  the 
completion  of  the  work. 

But  to  resume  my  narrative.  Our  pilot  left  us  at 
6  p.  m.,  and  as  he  stepped  into  his  boat  waved  a 
parting  salutation,  adding  the  wish  for  a  prosperous 
voyage — a  sentiment  that  fully  responded  to  our  own 
feelings.  We  were  now  fairly  at  sea,  and  I  began 
looking  about  to  ascertain  who  were  to  be  my  fel- 
low-voyagers, and  learned  upon  inquiry,  that  we  had 
a  comfortable  number  in  the  first  cabin  (about  one 
hundred),  with   something  more    than   double    that 


OUT  WA  RD    BO  UND. 


number  in  the  steerage.  A  day  or  two  later  on, 
when  the  weather  became  fine,  and  after  the  cabin 
passengers  had  recovered  from  the  effects  of  sea- 
sickness, I  was  able  to  make  a  little  closer  scrutiny 
of  my  companions,  who  I  found  were  made  up  of 
various  nationalities  and  professions — the  English  be- 
ing rather  in  the  majority.  The  published  list  shows 
a  Member  of  Parliament  from  Scotland  and  his  wife  ; 
the  Law  has  its  representative  in  one  of  the  Queen's 
counsel ;  the  English  service  by  a  major,  and  our 
own  by  a  colonel  U.  S.  Army  and  an  ex-captain  of 
the  U.  S.  Engineers  ;  the  Press  by  an  entertaining 
Irishman  who  represents  a  well-known  London  daily. 
I  learned  that  a  few  of  the  English  element  had 
ranches  in  the  West  and  are  on  their  way  to  England 
to  pass  the  winter  with  their  friends,  but  the  largest 
share  are  travelers  who  are  returning  from  a  hurried 
"run"  of  a  few  weeks  in  the  United  States,  and  upon 
questioning  them  I  found  that  the  greater  number 
had  been  in  America  less  than  a  month;  and  yet  I've 
no  doubt  that  many — even  with  this  limited  stay — 
thought  themselves  thoroughly  acquainted  with  our 
people,  their  manners  and  customs,  and  perhaps  the 
institutions  of  the  Republic,  and  possibly  some  would 
go  so  far  as  to  say  they  were  prepared  to  write  a 
book  on  America ;  the  usual  round  being  up  the 
Hudson  to  Albany; thence  to  Niagara,  and  from  there 
down  the  Lakes  and  St.  Lawrence  to  Quebec,  and 
so  around,  by  the  way  of  Boston,  back  to  New  York 


FELLOW  PASSENGERS.  7 

city.  Some  extend  their  journey  farther  westward, 
reachine  Chicago  and  St.  Louis,  and  on  their  return 
take  in  Washington  and  Philadelphia.  The  Ameri- 
can element  on  board  is  chiefly  composed  of  pleas- 
ure travelers,  who  are  to  pass  the  winter  abroad,  but 
there  are  a  few  bent  on  business,  who  will  return 
after  a  month  or  more.  Several  well-established 
houses  of  New  York  city  and  Chicago  have  their 
buyers  on  board,  who  go  out  to  purchase  for  the 
coming  spring  styles  and  fashions  ;  and  here  I  wish 
to  add  that  this  class,  who  make  frequent  trips  across 
the  Atlantic  and  have  choice  of  the  various  lines,  I 
find  give  the  preference  to  the  White  Star  ships. 

And  now  what  shall  I  say  of  the  good  ship  "Ger- 
manic," which  has  brought  us  so  safely  and  comfort- 
ably across  the  Atlantic  ?  That  she  is  one  of  the 
very  best  I've  had  the  good  fortune  to  cross  in,  is 
most  certain.  Her  complement  of  cabin  passengers 
— less  than  200 — is  about  the  proper  number  to  in- 
sure the  best  attendance.  The  interior  arrangements 
are  admirable.  The  dining-room  is  amidships,  and 
is  supplied  with  revolving  chairs ;  a  nicely  propor- 
tioned sitting-room,  just  over  the  dining-saloon,  well 
lighted  by  side  ports,  and  a  gracefully-shaped  dome 
of  stained  glass,  furnishes  a  most  agreeable  lounging 
place  during  the  day  or  evening.  This,  as  well  as 
every  other  portion  of  the  vessel,  is  beautifully 
lighted  by  the  most  approved  mode  of  electric  lights 
of  the  incandescent  system.  Those  in  the  staterooms 


8  0  UTWARD    BO  UND. 

(English  cabins),  are  under  the  control  of  the  occu- 
pant, so  that  he  may  retire  at  any  hour,  and  light  his 
room  at  pleasure.  An  immense  improvement  over 
the  old  system  of  lighting  (through  a  lamp  or  candle 
placed  in  a  small  closet  with  a  glass  front,  and  con- 
nected with  the  cabin,  but  over  which  the  inmates 
had  no  control)  and  how  often  have  I,  in  common 
with  many  others,  begged  the  room  steward  to  give 
me  a  half  hour's  more  light,  that  I  might  not  retire 
in  the  dark.  The  present  system  has  changed  all 
this,  and  a  simple  thumb-screw  near  at  hand,  turned 
to  the  right  or  left,  does  it  all,  and  lights  up  the  cabin 
in  the  most  perfect  manner. 

So  fully  am  I  impressed  with  the  comfort  which 
this  light  gives,  that  I  hardly  think  I  shall  be  content 
to  cross  again  unless  it  be  in  a  ship  supplied  with  this 
improvement.  Electric  bells  reach  every  part  of  the 
vessel,  and  not  only  respond  to  a  gentle  push,  but 
are  immediately  answered  by  respectful  and  attentive 
waiters.  The  police  of  this  ship  is  most  admirable. 
The  woodwork  is  constantly  scoured,  and  the  main 
halls  and  passageways — many  of  them  covered  with 
wood  carpeting — are  polished  as  bright  as  they  can 
be  made,  and  I  never  saw  the  kitchen  table  of  the 
most  dainty  cook,  present  a  cleaner  or  brighter  ap- 
pearance than  the  floor  of  the  passage  that  leads  to 
my  state  room.  The  table  is  well  supplied,  and  the 
me7iu  offers  each  day,  beside  all  the  substantial 
dishes,  some  choice  articles  of  game,  and  oysters   on 


QUEEN STOWN  HARBOR.  9 

the  half-shell  are  given  at  nearly  every  lunch.  All 
dishes  are  served  after  the  French  style,  and  the  food 
generally  comes  to  the  table  piping  hot. 

The  voyage  has  been  a  rough  one,  especially  so 
for  this  season  ;  still,  our  good  ship  has  averaged 
about  330  miles  daily,  and  has  made  the  passage 
across  in  eight  days  and  eight  hours  ;  but  so  com- 
fortable have  we  been  that  I,  in  common  with  many 
others,  almost  regret  that  the  voyage  is  so  near  at. 
an  end. 

Quee?istown,  October  1 7th,  7  a.  m. — We  touched  at 
this  beautiful  harbor  at  an  early  hour  this  morning, 
and  the  anchor  was  let  fall  just  as  the  sun  was  mak- 
ing its  appearance  in  the  horizon.  The  shores  were 
near  at  hand — so  near  that  we  could  see  distinctly  the 
stone  walls  which  separate  the'various  fields,  as,  also 
the  sheep  and  cattle  that  were  scattered  through 
them — but  the  town  was  some  miles  away,  and  we 
could  only  catch  a  glimpse  of  some  parts  of  it  in  the 
far  distance.  To  save  time,  the  steamers  of  this, 
"The  White  Star  Line,"  as  well  as  most  others,  are 
met  near  the  entrance  of  Oueenstown,  by  steam- 
tenders  that  take  off  the  English  mails  and  passen- 
gers bound  for  Ireland.  Quite  a  number  of  steerage, 
but  only  two  or  three  cabin  passengers  disembarked 
here.  This  was  speedily  accomplished,  and  we  were 
soon  again  steaming  away  up  St.  George's  Channel, 
with  our  prow  toward  Liverpool.  I  observed,  as 
we  passed  along,  that  the  shores   presented   a  much 


IO  OUTWARD    BOUND. 

grayer  appearance  than  I'd  ever  before  seen  in  Ire- 
land. This  was  new  to  me,  as  I  never  before  ap- 
proached the  Emerald  Isle  without  finding  its  ver- 
dure almost  perfect,  and  the  grass  a  beautiful  rich 
green,  that  reminded  me  of  spring  in  America. 

This  I  was  told,  was  due  in  a  measure  to  the 
stubble  fields — most  of  the  oat  crop  having  been  re- 
cently gathered — but  is  mainly  owing  to  the  very  dry 
season,  which  has  been  unprecedented  throughout 
many  parts  of  Ireland. 

We  have  still  nearly  two  hundred  and  forty  miles 
to  make  before  reaching  Liverpool,  but,  as  our  voy- 
age is  practically  over,  I  bring  my  letter  to  a  close. 
You  may  hear  from  me  again  somewhere  in  England; 
till  then  I  say  au  revoir. 


II. 
LIVERPOOL  TO  LONDON. 

REGENT  HOTEL, 
ROYAL  LEAMINGTON  SPA,  ENGLAND. 

October  220I,  1885. 

MY  last  closed  on  October  17th,  as  we  were 
steaming  through  the  Irish  Sea,  with  our 
prow  pointed  towards  Liverpool.  We  were  not 
lucky  in  regard  to  the  tide,  and  when  the  "  Ger- 
manic "  reached  the  bar  of  the  Mersey  river,  at  10 
o'clock  p.  m.,  it  was  found  it  could  not  be  crossed 
'till  the  following  morning  —  hence  we  anchored  for 
the  night.  I,  not  being  among  the  impatient  ones, 
rather  liked  the  idea  of  sailing  up  the  river  in  broad 
daylight,  than  of  arriving  in  pitch-darkness.  We 
were  under  weigh  again  about  7  a.  m.  the  following 
morning  and  steamed  rapidly  up  the  twelve  miles 
that  intervene  between  the  bar  and  the  city. 

The  fairly-observing  American  traveler  who  enters 
for  the  first  time  the  Port  of  Liverpool  will  naturally 
be  on  the  lookout  for  that  forest  of  masts  which  he 
is  accustomed  to  see  along  the  piers  of  New  York 
city  and  other  commercial  ports,  and,  not  finding  it, 
would  with  reason  exclaim,  "  Where  is  that  immense 


12  LIVERPOOL     TO    LONDON. 


fleet  of  vessels  that  I  observe  daily  reported  as  enter- 
ing and  departing  from  this  port  ?  Surely,  they 
have  not  hidden  them  away,  and  yet  I  see  only  a 
straggling  vessel  or  two  in  the  river."  A  little  closer 
observation;  and  by  looking  over  the  roofs  of  the 
warehouses  which  line  the  river  front  of  the  city,  will 
enable  him  to  see  the  topmasts  and  upper  spars  of 
the  ships  he  is  looking  for,  and  this  again  begets  the 
question,  "  What  are  they  doing  there,  away  up  in 
the  city  ?  Why  not  leave  them  in  the  river  and 
along  piers,  as  in  all  the  seaport  cities  of  the  United 
States?" 

The  answer  to  this  calls  up  the  superb  dock  sys- 
tem of  Liverpool  —  one  that  has  been  in  existence 
for  very  many  years  and  is  contemporary  with  its 
earliest  existence  as  an  extensive  commercial  port. 
The  tides,  which  with  us  do  not  have  usually  a  rise 
or  fall  of  over  three  feet,  at  Liverpool  rise  and  fall 
21,  and  the  springtides  even  26  feet;  the  conse- 
quence is  that  the  river  front  of  the  city  at  low  water 
is  almost  bare,  and  vessels  that  anchor  in  midstream 
must  necessarily  be  a  long  way  from  the  warehouses, 
necessitating  expensive  lightering  in  discharging  and 
receiving  cargo,  beside  being  exposed  to  accident 
from  storms  while  lying  in  the  river.  It  was  to 
obviate  this  that  the  dock  system  was  introduced, 
and  although  made  in  the  most  substantial  manner 
and  at  great  expense,  yet  the  convenience  it  offers 
renders  it  most  attractive  to  the  average  shipmaster 


LIVERPOOL  DOCKS.  I  3 

and  owner,  in  spite  of  the  dues  which  it  entails. 
I  passed  two  days  in  Liverpool,  one  of  which  I 
devoted  to  the  examination  of  its  beautiful  docks, 
and  without  entering  into  the  minute  details  of  their 
construction,  I  will  simply  state  that  excavations  are 
made  along  the  river  front,  and  the  basins  thus 
formed  surrounded  by  massive  walls  and  quays,  with 
lock  gates  on  the  river  front.  These,  at  high  tide, 
are  opened  by  hydraulic  power,  and  the  water 
admitted,  and  with  it  the  vessels.  When  the  tide 
ebbs  the  gates  are  closed — the  pressure  from  the 
water  in  the  basins  keeping  them  almost  water-tight. 
These  various  basins  are  connected  by  interior  locks, 
which  increase  the  berthing  space,  and  add  to  their 
efficiency.  Along  the  borders  of  these  docks  are 
constructed  the  warehouses  and  sheds,  in  which  are 
stored  the  various  cargoes  while  awaiting  shipment 
or  transportation  to  the  interior.  In  many  instances 
railway  tracks  connect  them  with  the  main  lines  of 
roads,  thus  materially  reducing  the  expense  of  dray- 
age.  The  docks  cover  an  immense  space — the  area 
on  the  Liverpool  side  being  1,000  acres,  while  that 
at  Birkenhead  (the  Brooklyn  of  Liverpool)  is  about 
5oo,  making  an  aggregate'  of  over  i,5oo  acres. 
Besides  this  style  of  dock  there  are  immense  "  grav- 
ing docks"  (we  call  them  ".dry  docks"),  built  of 
massive  masonry,  provided  with  every  convenience 
and  able  to  accommodate  the  largest  class  of  vessels. 
While  making  the  tour  of  these  docks,  which  I  did 


14  LIVERPOOL     TO    LONDON. 

in  company  with  the  intelligent  agent  of  the  Atlantic 
Mutual  Insurance  Company,  I  did  not  fail  to  remark 
upon  the  large  number  of  vessels  that  were  lyino- 
idle,  and  among  them  some  old  favorites  of  mine,  in 
which  I  had  made  voyages  across  the  Atlantic.       I 
was  told  the  number  of  vessels  lying  up  for  want  of 
employment  was  still  greater  at  Birkenhead— a  sub- 
stantial proof  of  hard  times  in  the  shipping  interest. 
These    docks     have    been    constructed   at   various 
periods,  and  usually  bear  the   names  of  the   distin- 
guished person  who  opened  them  to  the  public.  The 
"  Princess"  Dock  is  the  one  near  which  is  the  land- 
ing stage,  where  most  of  the  travelers   to  or  from 
America    embark   or  land.      Then   there  are  "  The 
George,"  -Nelson,"  «  Trafalgar,"  "Wellington,"  "Vic- 
toria," "  Albert,"  and  one  of  the  latest  bears  the  name 
of  the  Crown  Princess,  Alexandra,  who  assisted  at 
its  opening ;  and  a  magnificent  dock  it  is,  extensive 
in  area  (covering  44  acres),  with  1 2,000  feet  of  berth- 
ing space,  and  surrounded  with  most  massive  quays, 
on  which  are  the  neatest  and  most  convenient  of  brick 
warehouses,    giving  the    impression,  like  its  lovely 
and  graceful  sponsor,  of  something  fair  to  look  upon. 
When  I  passed  it  the  Oregon  was  lying  in  its  basin, 
being  refitted  preparatory  to  resuming  her  place  as  a 
passenger  ship  in  the  Cunard  line,  after  six  months  in 
naval  service  as  a  fast  cruiser.     I   believe  the  only 
work  she  did  was  to  carry  some  distinguished  naval 
commander  to  the  Irish  coast.     While  upon  the  sub- 


LONDON  DRA  Y  HORSES.  I  5 

ject  of  docks  and  shipping,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place 
to  correct  the  impression  which  obtains  among  many 
Americans,  that  the  English  trans -Atlantic  lines  are 
the  largest  in  point  of  tonnage  in  the  world  ;  such, 
however,  is  not  a  fact.  The  first  being  the  Peninsu- 
lar and  Oriental  Company,  which  has  5i  steamers 
and  trades  to  the  far  East  ;  the  next  is  the  French 
Trans-Atlantic,  which  in  addition  to  its  line  to  this 
country  has  a  large  fleet  trading  to  South  America 
and  the  West  Indies.  Then  comes  the  British  India, 
whose  commerce  is  with  the  East  Indies  and  Aus- 
tralia ;  then,  I  believe,  follows  the  Austrian  Lloyds. 
While  wandering  along  the  quays  and  looking 
through  the  large  warehouses  I  did  not  fail  to 
remark  upon  the  superb  dray  horses  with  which 
Liverpool  abounds.  I  stopped  and  questioned  the 
driver  of  a  very  fine  team,  and  learned  that  his 
animals  averaged  18  hundred  each  — 112  pounds  to 
the  hundred  weight.  He  told  me  that  the  largest 
dray  horse  he  had  known  weighed  22  hundred — 
2,464  pounds.  A  share  of  these  animals  are  raised 
in  the  neighborhood,  but  a  goodly  number  come 
from  Wales  and  about  York,  and  from  the  Clyde 
district.  From  this  fact,  I  believe,  they  are  often 
called  Clydesdale  horses.  Many  of  the  best  cost 
from  $5oo  upward.  Most  of  the  teams  were  com- 
posed of  two  horses,  driven  tandem  before  tip  carts 
with  very  broad  beds  and  high  sides,  capable  of  con- 
taining immense  loads. 


1 6  LIVERPOOL     TO    LONDON. 

Not  being  in  any  great  haste  to  reach  London,  as 
so  many  of  my  fellow-passengers  were — most  of 
them  having  left  by  the  earliest  train — I  decided  to 
reach  it  by  easy  stages  and  not  miss  the  beauti- 
ful country  which  lies  between  Liverpool  and  the 
great  metropolis.  I  also  wished  to  take  in  some 
places  never  before  visited,  and  accordingly  fixed 
upon  this  beautiful  section  of  England,  generally  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  most  attractive  portions  of  the 
entire  kingdom,  not  alone  from  its  great  productive- 
ness, fine  parks  and  forests,  but  also  from  its  prox- 
imity to  such  historical  points  as  Kennilworth,  War- 
wick Castle,  Stoneleigh  Abbey,  Coventry,  etc. 
These  places  are  all  within  easy  drives  of  Leaming- 
ton, and  through  a  beautifully  picturesque  country. 

For  leaving  Liverpool  I  chose  a  rapid  train  of  the 
North  Western  Line,  one  of  the  best  managed  in  the 
kingdom,  and  which  runs  some  of  its  fast  trains  at 
the  rate  of  45  miles  per  hour. 

Being  early  at  the  station,  I  had  a  good  oppor- 
tunity of  inspecting  the  train,  which  was  made  up  of 
saloon  carriages  and  which  were  connected  by  an  odd 
contrivance,  a  species  of  bellows  door-way,  through 
which  the  occupants  could  pass  from  one  to  the 
other,  this  leather  bellows  arrangement  admitting 
the  play  necessary  between  carriages,  when  the  train 
was  moving  rapidly.  I  chose  one  of  the  former,  and 
found  it  exceedingly  comfortable — hardly  as  much  so 
as  the  Pullman  drawing-room  car,  but  still  very  easy, 


BEAUTIFUL    COUNTRY.  \J 

nicely  upholstered,  and  provided  with  very  complete 
toilet  arrangements,  and  a  connecting  smoking-apart- 
ment.  The  main  line  of  this  road  runs  through  a  very 
fertile  district,  very  attractive  to  the  agriculturist — but 
hardly  as  varied  and  picturesque  as  that  of  the  Great 
Western  —  passing  such  well-known  places  as 
Crewe,  Stafford,  Litchfield  and  Rugby.  The  day 
was  rather  dark  and  grey,  so  that  the  view  from  the 
car  windows  was  not  as  attractive  as  I've  sometimes 
found  it  ;  still,  I  took  great  pleasure  in  watching  the 
highly- cultivated  fields,  the  well-kept  thorn  hedges, 
which  enclose  them,  and  the  heavy  crops  of  potatoes, 
turnips  and  beets,  which  were  being  gathered.  The 
beautifully-proportioned  racks  of  hay  and  grain — 
nearly  all  protected  by  a  neatly-thatched  covering 
that  must  have  cost  no  little  labor  and  skill — were 
my  especial  admiration,  and  ever  have  been  on 
former  visits.  At  Rugby  I  changed  trains  and  came 
to  this  place.  I  had  time  to  get  a  very  comfortable 
lunch  at  that  point  and  was  reminded  of  its  famous 
school  by  one  of  its  pupils,  who  met  his  father  at  the 
station. 

I  am  comfortably  lodged  at  this  hotel  and  have 
one  of  the  tallest  of  four-post  bedsteads,  with  the 
cleanest  of  linen  sheets  on  it,  in  my  apartment. 

What  I  saw  here  and  in  the  vicinity  I  must  reserve 
for  a  future  letter. 


III. 

ENGLISH     COUNTRY     LIFE. 

HOTEL   METROPOLE,    LONDON,    ENGLAND. 
November  jth,  iSSj. 

I  MAI  LED  my  last  from  Leamington,  in  War- 
wickshire, one  of  the  finest  counties  of  England 
— not  only  at  the  present  time,  but  evidently  so  in 
the  past,  as  within  its  limits  some  of  the  most  noted 
castles  and  baronial  residences  of  former  days  were 
located,  as  also,  some  of  the  most  interesting  and 
important  events  in  English  history  have  transpired. 
As  soon  as  practicable,  after  securing  my  room  at 
the  "  Hotel  Regent,"  which  is  located  on  a  broad 
street  called  "  The  Parade,"  I  made  arrangements 
with  the  landlord  for  an  open  Victoria,  to  drive  about 
the  surrounding  country,  wishing  to  avail  myself  of 
the  fine  weather  then  prevailing,  knowing  how 
speedily  the  clouds  gather  at  this  season  of  the  year, 
and  how  quickly  sunshine  is  followed  by  rain.  Driv- 
ing up  "  The  Parade" — the  principal  thoroughfare  and 
•  site  of  the  larger  shops — we  were  soon  in  the  suburbs 
of  the  town,  where  are  situated  the  handsome  villas 


AN  AFTERNOON  DRIVE.  \  g 

which  form  the  residences  of  its  best  citizens,  and  of 
visitors,  who  occupy  them  for  some  months,  and  of 
some  wealthy  Manchester  merchants,  who  make 
their  homes  here.  Leamington  being  quite  a  hunt^ 
ing  centre,  these  villas  are  sought  for  by  that  class, 
and  I  was  told  that  three  or  four  Americans,  fond  of 
the  chase,  lived  here  during  the  hunting  season. 

Turning  to  the  right,  after  leaving  "  The  Parade," 
we  entered  the  Lillington  road,  and  drove  past  the 
"  Midland  Oak,"  said  to  be  as  near  as  possible  in  the 
centre  of  England,  but  whether  this  means  territor- 
ially or  geographically,  I  could  not  ascertain,  and  I 
discussed  the  matter  with  an  officer  of  the  Royal 
Engineers. 

A  drive  of  two  or  three  miles  further  along  a 
beautiful  macadamized  road,  bordered  by  well-tilled 
fields,  brought  us  to  the  entrance  of  Stoneleigh  Park. 
A  pretty  porter's  lodge  guards  the  entrance;  and  a 
neatly-dressed  matron  opened  the  gate.  After  pass- 
ing some  fine  old  beech,  chestnut  and  elm  trees,  we 
came  upon  what  remains  of  the  Abbey — a  brick 
structure,  highly  picturesque,  from  being  nearly  over- 
grown with  ivy.  Beyond  this  is  the  present  family 
residence — a  fine  large  mansion  of  stone  in  the  Cor- 
inthian style,  located  near  the  Avon,  with  its  grounds 
handsomely  terraced  down  to  the  river.  The  family 
being  in  residence,  admission  could  not  be  obtained, 
but  I  was  informed  that  there  were  some  interesting 
portraits  in  its  various  apartments.     Continuing  the 


20  ENGLISH    COUNTRY   LIFE. 

drive  through  Leigh  Park  and  estate,  which  must 
cover  several  thousand  acres,  we  crossed  the  Avon 
river  by  a  pretty  bridge,  and  then  passed  into  the 
shooting  preserves,  where  we  saw  large  numbers  of 
pheasants  and  rabbits.  It  being  near  sunset  they 
were  out  feeding,  and  many  crossed  the  road  in  front 
of  us.  I  was  told  there  was  also  a  deer  park,  but  we 
did  not  pass  it.  The  portion  of  the  drive  through  the 
shooting  preserve  is  beautiful.  Large  trees  border 
the  road,  and,  in  many  instances,  interlace  overhead. 
From  Leigh  Park  we  continued  on  to  Kenilworth 
Castle,  which  is  in  ruins,  but  a  grand  old  ruin  it  is. 
I  wandered  for  a  time  through  the  most  notable  re- 
mains, such  as  "  Caesar's  Tower,"  "  Great  Hall," 
"  Leicester  Buildings/'  "  The  Kitchens  "  and  "Strong 
Tower."  In  the  latter,  Sir  Walter  Scott  locates  the 
prison  of  "Amy  Robsart,"  Countess  of  Leicester.  I 
returned  to  the  carriage  and  drove  back  by  a  more 
direct  route  to  Leamington,  making  in  all,  a  drive  of 
about  twelve  miles.  In  the  course  of  this  trip,  I  had 
a  fine  opportunity  of  observing  the  autumn  foliage  of 
England,  which  is  more  striking  than  I  imagined. 
While  the  deep,  rich  tints  of  some  of  our  forest  trees, 
such  as  the  swamp  and  soft  maples  and  the  like,  are 
wanting,  yet  the  general  effect  produced  by  a  large 
park  or  forest  of  trees  in  their  autumn  dress,  is  fine. 
The  beech,  of  which  there  are  many  fine  specimens, 
has  the  most  pronounced  coloring — a  deep,  reddish- 
brown  that  contrasts  well  with  the  delicate  yellow  of 


ROOKS  AND   ROOKERIES.  2  I 

the  chestnut.     One  passes,  too,  fine  specimens  of  the 
holly,  covered  with  the  richest  of  red  berries. 

My  attention  was  called  to  some  of  the  rookeries, 
usually  a  clump  of  trees  apart  from  the  main  forest, 
where  the  rooks  assemble  and  nest.  This  bird  is  one 
of  the  pets  of  the  farmer,  as  also  the  country  gentle- 
man, who  take  great  pride  in  them,  and  are  careful 
to  see  that  they  are  protected.  I  was  told  that  when 
the  birds  become  numerous,  they  quarrel  frightfully, 
and  the  result  will  be  a  general  scattering  of  the 
colony,  unless  their  numbers  are  reduced  ;  this  can 
only  be  done  by  a  long-range  rifle,  when  the  rooks 
are  full  grown,  as  the  bird  is  a  shy  one.  He  resem- 
bles, in  many  particulars,  the  crow  of  our  country,  and 
only  a  close  observer  would  detect  any  material  dif- 
ference. The  most  noticeable  thing  I  saw  was  his 
size,  which  is  considerably  less  than  our  bird,  and  a 
whitish  color  about  the  base  of  the  beak.  Another 
difference,  that  I  was  told  of,  was  that  the  rook  never 
feeds  upon  carrion,  or  decomposed  flesh,  but  he  is  of 
great  service  to  the  farmer  by  reason  of  the  number 
of  slugs  he  destroys.  We  saw  also  a  number  of  sky- 
larks, but  at  this  season  that  bird  soars  but  a  short 
distance  in  the  air  and  his  song  is  faint. 

I  returned  to  the  Regent  Hotel  in  time  for  an  ex- 
cellent six  o'clock  dinner,  and  I  will  add,  for  the  in- 
formation of  your  readers,  that  the  cost  of  the  vic- 
toria, single  horse  with  driver,  for  the  afternoon,  was 
$3.00,  and  I  supplement  this  with  a  day's  charges  at 


2  2  ENGLISH    COUNTRY   LIFE. 

that  well-kept  hotel,  regarded  as  the  best  in   Leam- 
ington. 

Shillings.  Pence. 

Apartments 3  o 

Attendance 1  6 

Dinner 5  o 

Breakfast 3  o 

Lunch 2  o 

Total 14  6 — about  $3.50. 

I  was  advised  by  the  landlord  that  board  by  the 
week  would  be  furnished  at  the  rate  of  $2.62  a  day, 
not  high  figures  for  one  of  the  best  hotels  in  an  at- 
tractive watering  place.  By  referring  to  the  guide 
book,  I  found  that  the  Leamington  Spa  has  a  very 
considerable  celebrity,  and  its  saline  waters  are 
claimed  to  be  efficacious  incases  of  gout  and  rheuma- 
tism. "  The  Royal  Pump  Rooms  '  and  baths  are 
most  conveniently  fitted  up,  and  have  handsome 
gardens  attached,  where  visitors  may  pass  their 
time.  Altogether,  my  impressions  of  the  town 
and  its  vicinity  are  most  agreeable,  and  I'm  quite 
sure  of  wandering  back  there  some  day. 

My  next  excursion  was  to  Warwick  Castle,  which 
is  but  two  miles  from  Leamington,  and  easily  reached 
by  tram  car — a  very  considerable  saving  of  expense, 
as  I  believe  the  fare  was  only  six  cents.  Warwick 
Castle  is  one  of  the  most  interesting,  as  also  one  of 
the  best-preserved,  of  the  baronial  residences  in  the 
United  Kingdom.  A  recent  regulation  of  its  present 
owner  renders  it  accessible  nearly  every  day  of  the 
week.     A  fee  of  twenty-five   cents   is  exacted  from 


WARWICK  CASTLE.  2$ 

each  visitor,  but  for  this  you  have  intelligent  guides 
to  conduct  you  through  its  various  halls  and  apart- 
ments and  the  adjoining  grounds.  The  Castle  is 
reached  by  a  roadway,  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock,  and 
with  handsome  trees  bordering  the  drive.  You  cross 
the  moat  (now  dry,)  by  a  drawbridge,  with  its  port- 
cullis still  in  place,  and  enter  the  interior.  Immedi- 
ately opposite,  as  you  enter,  are  two  fine  towers,  used 
in  former  days  as  defences  for  the  place — the  guard 
rooms  being  in  the  upper  stories,  and  commanding  a 
view  of  the  exterior  country.  From  the  top,  I  saw 
one  of  the  finest  parks  in  England,  and  in  the  far 
distance  Edgehill,  where  Cromwell  fought  one  of  his 
important  battles.  The  prison  of  the  Castle,  which 
I  visited,  is  in  the  basement  of  one  of  these  towers, 
and  is  a  dark,  gloomy-looking  place. 

From  the  interior  court  you  enter  the  main  apart- 
ments. A  neat,  gothic  portico  protects  the  entrance. 
The  first  to  which  you  are  conducted  is  the  "  Great 
Hall,"  a  handsomely-proportioned  room  of  about  60 
feet  in  length,  40  feet  in  width,  and  2  5  in  height.  It 
has  an  immense  open  fire-place,  a  heavy  oak  ceiling 
in  panels,  tnarble  floor,  and  its  walls  are  wainscotted 
in  oak  to  a  considerable  height  Four  superb  pairs 
of  antlers  of  the  Irish  elk,  dug  up  from  the  bogs  of 
Ireland,  adorn  its  walls,  or  as  our  guide  expressed  it, 
"Those  are  four  pairs  of  h'antlers  of  the  h'Irish  h'elk 
from  the  bogs  of  h'Ireland." 

The  objects  of  interest  in  this  grand  banqueting 


24 


ENGLISH    COUNTRY   LIFE. 


hall  are  numerous.  Several  suits  of  armor,  belonging 
to  different  periods,  are  arranged  on  one  side.  Crom- 
well's helmet  and  a  Puritan  hat  in  iron  are  among  the 
curiosities.  Guy's  punch-bowl,  capable  of  containing 
over  ioo  gallons,  and  several  handsomely-carved 
pieces  of  furniture  in  oak,  are  also  on  exhibition.  I 
was  greatly  impressed  with  this  room,  and  admired 
its  fine  proportions.  The  views,  from  its  windows, 
of  the  river  Avon  and  the  park  beyond  were  superb. 
The  water  here,  being  of  considerable  depth,  formed 
one  of  the  defenses  of  this  side  of  the  place,  while  a 
high  crenelated  wall,  with  an  interior  banquette,  fur- 
nished, with  the  towers,  the  defenses  of  the  other  sides. 
From  the  banqueting  hall  we  were  taken  through 
several  other  apartments,  such  as  the  red  drawing- 
room  (or  ante-room),  the  cedar  drawing-room,  gilt 
drawing-room,  state  bed-room,  chapel,  etc.  In  all 
of  them  were  more  or  less  historical  portraits  by 
the  old  masters.  After  this  we  visited  the  gardens 
and  the  greenhouse,  where  the  Warwick  vase,  an 
antique  dug  up  near  Adrian's  villa,  at  Tivoli,  is  placed. 
It  is  a  superb  specimen  of  ancient  art,  and  the  largest 
marble  vase  extant.  Its  fine  proportions  and  grace- 
ful decorations  have  been  the  admiration  of  all  who 
have  visited  it.  I  finished  my  day's  work  at  War- 
wick, by  visiting  Lord  Leicester's  Hospital  and  St. 
Mary's  Church,  a  very  old  structure,  containing  sev- 
eral objects  of  interest,  and  where  lie  the  remains  of 
Robert   Dudley,  Earl    of  Leicester.     Then,  after  a 


BED  WELL  PARK.  2  5 

simple  lunch  at  the  railway  station,  I  took  an  express 
train  for  London,  passing  by  Banbury  and  Oxford, 
and  came  at  once  to  this  large  and  convenient  hotel, 
where  I've  been  more  comfortable  than  ever  before 
in  England.  It  is  superbly  built  and  finely  decor- 
ated and  furnished.  The  lower  floor  is  taken  up  with 
the  vestibule,  and  offices,  dining  rooms,  reception 
room,  library  and  salon,  which  are  as  fine  as  any 
thing  I've  ever  seen.  Over  $5,ooo,ooo  have  been  ex- 
pended in  its  construction  alone.  Its  prices  are  not 
high,  and  one  lives  very  comfortably  for  about  $4.5o 
per  day.  I've  done  very  little  sight-seeing  in  London, 
but  have  availed  myself  of  the  hospitality  of  some 
friends  to  visit  them  at  their  country  seats — espec- 
ially General  Sir  Frederick  Fitz-Wygram,  in  Hamp- 
shire, and  Mr.  Edmund  S.  Hanbury,  in  Hertford- 
shire. The  English  are  very  fond  of  their  country 
homes.  It  is  there  they  collect  their  household 
treasures,  and  the  living  at  a  well-conducted  English 
place  is  almost  perfection. 

In  this  connection,  it  seems  quite  appropriate  to 
give  my  experience  at  one  of  these  handsome  houses, 
as  described  in  a  letter  written  in  the  autumn  of '81. 
My  brother  and  self  were  enjoying  at  that  time  the 
sights  of  London,  when  we  received  a  note  asking  us 
to  pass  Saturday  and  Sunday  at  Bedwell  Park,  an 
old  country  seat  in  Hertfordshire,  England  ;  an  in- 
vitation which  we  gladly  accepted. 

We  were  fortunate  in  our  visit  to  Bedwell  Park  as 


26  ENGLISH    COUNTRY   LIFE. 

the  country  was  looking  particularly  fine.  The  late 
autumn  rains  having  given  a  freshness  to  the  entire 
vegetable  world  that  was  particularly  pleasing  and  I 
never  saw  English  turf  wear  a  brighter  green. 
Taking  the  3  p.  m.  train  from  King's  Cross  station, 
London,  we  were  about  an  hour  by  the  Great  Nor- 
thern Railway  making  the  journey  to  Potter's  Bar, 
the  usual  railway  station  of  the  residents  of  Bedwell 
Park.  Here  we  were  met  by  our  kind  host  and 
his  charming  wife,  who  had  also  just  come  from 
London. 

After  the  usual  salutations  we  were  invited  to 
enter  the  carriages  that  were  in  waiting  ;  my  brother 
being  asked  to  take  a  seat  in  the  phaeton  with 
madam,  who  drove  a  pair  of  spirited  blacks,  while  I 
followed  with  Mr.  H y,  in  his  dog  cart. 

The  drive  of  five  miles  was  delightful,  the  road 
passing  through  a  highly  cultivated  country,  and,  at 
times,  through  avenues  of  superb  beech  and  oak  trees 
which  were  in  full  leaf,  although  turned  by  recent 
frosts.  The  entrance  to  the  park  is  marked  by  a 
handsome  gate  and  porter's  lodge,  and,  as  we  passed 
through,  a  kindly  bow  and  pleasant  smile  from  the 
porteress  assured  us  we  'were  welcome.  The  road 
that  leads  up  to  the  residence  is  lined  with  some  su- 
perb trees,  evidently  of  great  age  and  probably 
placed  there  by  some  of  its  earliest  residents.  We 
were  asked  immediately  on  our  arrival  to  the  library, 
a  large  and  handsome  room,  overlooking  the   lawn, 


GA ME  A XD  /•  R LIT.  2 / 

and,  soon  after,  the  usual  five  o'clock  tea,  with  the  ac- 
companiment of  brown  bread  and  butter  was  served. 
This  custom  of  offering  tea  at  this  hour  is  quite  gen- 
eral throughout  England,  and  is  not  confined  to 
country  homes.  The  city  residents  also  observe  it, 
and  in  the  London  season  the  lady  of  the  house  will 
generally  be  found  at  home  at  that  hour,  after  which 
driving  or  walking  is  in  order,  until  time  to  return 
and  dress  for  dinner,  usually  about  7:30  p.  m. 

Our  walk  on  this  occasion  was  through  one  of  the 
handsome  groves  of  the  park,  a  portion  of  which  was 
wild  and  filled  with  thick  underbrush,  a  safe  place  of 
retreat  for  the  various  species  of  game  that  we  stated 
on  the  way.  Among  them  were  pheasants,  partridges, 
rabbits  and  hares.  As  we  were  returning  home,  the 
cock-pheasants  were  settling  themselves  for  the  night 
in  the  branches  of  some  of  the  large  oaks,  and  I  ob- 
served that  they  uttered  a  cackling  sound.  This  my 
hostess  told  me  was  intended  as  a  warning  to  the 
flock  of  their  roosting  place — a  most  indiscreet  mea- 
sure as  the  poachers  can  mark  the  trees,  and  at  night 
make  sure  of  their  prey.  We  had  seen,  in  various 
parts  of  England,  evidences  of  certain  methods  to 
prevent  the  poacher  from  exercising  his  unlawful 
practices,  such  as  dotting  the  fields  with  branches  of 
the  thorn  tree  which  prevents  his  using  his  nets 
successfully  in  catching  partridges. 

On  our  way  back  to  the  house  we  passed  through 
the  vegetable  garden,  which  was  in  excellent  con- 


2  8  ENGLISH    COUNTRY    LIFE. 

dition,  and  filled  with  every  variety  pertaining  to  the 
climate  of  England.     We  also  visited  the  hot  houses, 
graperies  and  fruit  houses.     In  the  former  we    saw 
the  cantaloupe  melon  growing  upon  trellis  work,  each 
melon    being   supported  by  a    bracket  or  hanging 
basket.     I  mention  this  as   showing  at  what  great 
expense  this  fruit  is  raised  in  England,  and  how  lim- 
ited must  be  the  number  that  can  indulge  their  taste 
for  it.     We  reached  home,  from  our  brisk  walk  of 
more  than  an  hour,  in  time  to  dress  for  dinner  and 
feeling   all   the   better    for  the   exercise.     The  gong 
gave  us    warning    of  the    dinner-hour.     By-the-by, 
this  fashion  of  announcing  the  hour  of  breakfast  and 
dinner  by  the  Chinese  gong  is  quite  general  through- 
out England,  and  its  propriety  becomes  very  appar- 
ent when  one  is  lodged  in  a  house  of  forty  or  fifty 
rooms.     Scarcely  any  other  method  could  make  the 
guest  aware  of  the  hour,  as  English  houses  are  not, 
like    French    ones,    liberally   supplied   with    clocks. 
Dinner  was  served  mainly  in  the  French  style,  with 
the  exception  of  one  or  two  dishes  which  were  carved 
by  the  host  and  hostess.     The  three   men   servants 
who  attended  at  table,  performed  their  duties,    and 
moved  about  so  noislessly  that  their    presence  was 
hardly  perceived,  and  to  my  taste,  there  are  no  better 
trained  nor  more  expert  servants  than  one  finds  in  a 
well  regulated  English  home. 

We  retired  quite  early,  and  our  day  of  active  work 
secured  for  us  a  sound  and  refreshing  sleep. 


HOUSEHOLD  ITEMS.  29 

We  were  roused  in  time  to  join  the  family  in 
prayers,  a  few  minutes  before  nine,  at  which  service 
nearly  the  entire  household  assembled — at  least  all 
that  could  be  spared;  and  as  there  were  eighteen 
servants  in  this  establishment,  exclusive  of  some 
employed  about   the    stables,  the  congregation  was 

quite  respectable  in  numbers.     Mrs.  H y  kindly 

gave  me  some  items  relative  to  her  household  that 
may  be  interesting  to  Long  Island  housekeepers. 
Servants'  wages  vary,  of  course  somewhat,  but  she 
usually  gave  her  cook  $200  per  annum,  for  which 
compensation  she  was  expected  to  cook  meats, game 
and  vegetables  well,  and  also  supply  the  necessary 
desserts,  and  with  her  assistant  cook,  for  the  servants 
who  have  an  entirely  different  character  of  table. 
Housemaids  receive  from  $  1 00  to  $  1 5o  per  annum.  All 
get  a  certain  allowance  of  beer  or  porter.  Domes- 
tics that  wish  to  give  up  their  situations  are  required 
to  give  one  month's  notice  of  their  intention,  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  mistress  of  the  house,  if  in- 
tending to  discharge  any  in  her  employ,  is  compelled 
to  notify  them  one  month  in  advance.  But  changes 
of  this  nature  are  far  from  being  as  frequent  as  with 
us,  and  servants  often  continue  many  years  in  the 
same  family. 

An  English  breakfast  is  usually  a  very  informal 
meal,  the  guests  taking  their  seats  at  table,  irrespec- 
tive of  those  they  occupied  at  the  more  formal  one 
of  dinner,  and  after  the  tea  and  coffee  is  served,  the 


30  •  ENGLISH    COUNTRY   LIFE. 


waiters  generally  retire.  Cold  meats  and  game 
usually  are  to  be  found  on  a  side  table,  and  if  one 
wishes  them  he  helps  himself.  This  strikes  an 
American  rather  oddly  at  first,  but  one  soon  gets  ac- 
customed to  it.  If  the  post  has  arrived  the  letters 
and  papers  are  brought  in,  and  any  one  is  free  to 
read  them  if  they  will,  and  it  gives  the  host  and 
hostess  of  a  large  establishment  an  opportunity  of 
attending  to  their  correspondence  early  in  the  day 
and  to  send  replies  by  the  first  mail. 

After  breakfast  we  made  quite  a  thorough  inspec- 
tion of  the  interior  of  the  house,  and  also  surveyed 
it  from  its  exterior.  It  is  not  an  easy  matter  for  me 
to  describe  Bedwell  Park  Mansion  House,  especially 
to  the  well  instructed  architect,  as  it  does  not  belong 
to  any  of  the  well  established  orders.  It  is  a  long, 
rather  low,  rambling  pile  of  brick,  which  appears  to 
have  grown  at  different  periods — portions  of  it  date- 
ing  back  200  years — and  it  evidently  resembles  the 
residences  of  that  date.  A  central  tower  over  the 
majn  entrance  is  one  of  its  most  prominent  features 
and  others  of  less  height  are  at  each  end. 

The  grounds  immediately  adjoining  the  house  are 
terraced  and  laid  out  in  the  Italian  villa  style,  and  are 
in  beautiful  condition.  The  number  of  rooms  would 
be  rather  startling  to  an  American  house-wife.  I 
counted  twenty-seven  on  the  second  floor  alone. 
Those  of  the  first  floor  are  not  so  numerous,  but  are 
larger.     The  salon,  or  drawing  room,  is   j5   by  35 


A  GUEST  REGISTER.  3  I 

feet  with  proportional  height  of  ceiling,  and  is  a  very 
handsome  and  well  proportioned  one.  Its  walls  are 
covered  with  pictures,  many  by  the  best  masters.  I 
noticed  two  Murrillos,  a  Rembrandt,  one  or  two  by 
Rubens  and  a  Van  Dyck.  There  are  also  several 
portraits  of  the  Eardley  family  from  whom  this  valu- 
able property  of  about  800  acres  descended.  The 
furniture  of  the  salon  I  observed  was,  in  its  general 
character,  of  the  style  of  Louis  XIV.  The  library  is 
a  large  room  much  used  by  the  family,  and  an  inspec- 
tion of  its  shelves  showed  that  the  collection  of 
works  was  not  only  extensive,  but  very  choice. 

One  of  the  noticeable  features  of  this  establish- 
ment, is  that  of  keeping  a  daily  register  of  the  oc- 
cupants of  the  sleeping  apartments  ;  and  I  observed 
too,  it  was  in  the  hand  writing  of  the  lady  of  the 
house.  All  the  rooms  are  numbered  and  those  of 
the  register  correspond  with  those  on  the  doors.  Our 
host  also  asked  us  to  record  our  names  in  a  book  kept 
for  the  purpose,  a  practice  adopted  by  his  father,  who 
occupied  this  mansion  many  years,  and  which  has 
been  continued  since  his  death.  As  time  passes  on 
this  will  certainly  become  a  most  interesting  vol- 
ume for  him  and  his  descendants. 

As  Sunday  was  included  in  our  visit,  we  attended 
the  parish  church,  only  a  short  walk  from  the  Man- 
sion House.  We  found  a  very  old  building,  with  its 
interior  arranged  with  high  backed  square  pews. 
Our  host  and  family  occupying  the  one  on  the   right 


32  ENGLISH    COUNTRY   LIFE. 

of  the    pulpit,  while   another   family  of  the  gentry 
filled  the  one  on  the  opposite  side. 

The  pastor  gave  us  a  good,  sensible  discourse,  and 
the  congregation,  made  up  chiefly  of  the  villagers 
and  farmers  of  the  neighborhood,  took  an  active  part 
in  the  services,  Among  the  drives  we  took  in  the 
neighborhood  was  one  to  Hatfield  House,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Marquis  of  Salisbury.  We  were  dis- 
appointed in  not  seeing  its  interior.  More  than  200 
years  ago  it  was  a  royal  residence,  and  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary,  Elizabeth 
lived  there  as  a  sort  of  prisoner.  The  old  oak 
tree,  under  which  it  is  said  she  was  sitting  when 
she  received  the  news  of  the  death  of  Queen  Mary 
and  her  accession  to  the  throne,  is  carefully  pro- 
tected by  an  iron  fence. 

The  grounds  of  Hatfield  House  are  beautifully 
laid  out,  and  numerous  avenues  of  fine  old  oaks 
and  linden  trees  lead  from  it  in  various  directions, 
furnishing  most  attractive  drives,  to  which  the  gen- 
eral public  have  access.  We  saw  immense  num- 
bers of  pheasants,  and  other  varieties  of  game, 
while  driving  through  the  estate,  but  was  told  the 
Marquis  cared  little  for  sport  of  this  nature — his 
taste  being  for  political  distinction  which  he  has 
certainly  attained. 


IV. 
LONDON  TO  THE  ADRIATIC. 

ROYAL   HOTEL,    DANIELI, 
FORMERLY    PLAZZO    BERNARDO,   VENICE,   ITALY. 

December  2d,  iSSj. 

THE  above  caption  gives  the  locality  from  which 
I  write,  and  will  convey  to  your  readers  some 
idea  of  the  nature  of  the  buildings  which  furnish  the 
hotels  for  the  modern  traveler.  The  hotels,  "l'Eu- 
rope,"  "Grand  Britannia."  and  "  Grand  Hotel" — all 
located  on  the  Grand  Canal — were  formerly  resi- 
dences of  the  grandees  of  this  quaint  and  fascinating 
old  city.  It  is  seventeen  years  since  I  was  last  here 
— time  sufficient,  in  America,  to  bring  about  many 
changes,  but  I  discover  scarcely  any.  The  gondolas 
— about  3,000  in  number — have  the  same  sombre 
appearance  externally,  and  are  as  comfortable  and 
fascinating  internally,  as  then.  A  row  in  one  of  them 
upon  the  Grand  Canal  of  a  bright  sunny  day  like  the 
present,  with  palaces  on  either  hand,  is  as  charming 
as  I  found  it  in  the  month  of  May,  1868.  Byron's 
description  of  them,  as  given    in  "  Beppo,"   appears 


34 


LONDON  TO  THE  ADR  I  A  TIC. 


to  me  so  thorough  and  accurate  that  I  cannot  refrain 
from  quoting  it: 

"  Didst  ever  see  a  gondola?     For  fear 

You  should  not,  I'll  describe  it  you  exactly  : 

"Tis  a  long,  covered  boat  that's  common  here  ; 
Carved  at  the  prow,  built  lightly,  but  compactly; 
Row'd  by  two  rowers,  each  called  gondolier, 

It  glides  along  the  water  looking  blackly — 

Just  like  a  coffin  clap't  in  a  canoe; 

"Where  none  can  make  out  what  you  say  or  do. 

And  up  and  down  the  long  canals  they  go, 

And  under  the  Rialto  shoot  along  ; 
By  night  and  day,  all  paces,  swift  or  slow ; 

And  round  the  theatres  a  sable  throng, 
They  wait  in  their  dusk  livery  of  woe  ; 

But  not  to  them  do  woeful  things  belong, 
For  sometimes  they  contain  a  deal  of  fun, 
Like  mourning  coaches  when  the  funeral's  done." 

I  add  for  your  information  the  fact,  that  under  the 
Venetian  Republic  the  extravagance  exhibited  in  the 
decoration  of  these  gondolas  called  forth  an  edict  of 
the  Government  requiring  that  they  should  be 
painted  black  and  their  furnishings  be  of  the  same 
color,  from  which  there  has  been  no  change.  Steam 
has,  however,  intruded  itself  even  here,  and  a  line  of 
small  ferry  boats  now  shoot  under  the  arches  where 
Shylock,  the  Jew,  loaned  the  3,000  ducats  to  Anto- 
nio. Only  fifty  years  since  the  far-named  Rialto  was 
still  an  important  place  to  the  money  changers  and 
dealers  in  gold  fabrics,  but  its  glory  and  importance 
has  departed,  and  as  I  passed  by  this  afternoon  I  saw 
only  a  few  poor  tenants  with  the  most  inferior  wares 
on  sale. 

But  I  am  getting  in  advance  of  my  journey,  and 
must  turn  back  and  tell  of  the  trip  from  London  to 


TRA  FELLING  EXPENSES.  $5 

the  Adriatic.  It  is  by  no  means  a  short  one,  yet  I 
accomplished  it  with  very  considerable  comfort,  quite 
leisurely  and  with  no  little  interest.  That  portion  of 
the  journey  between  London  and  Paris  is  now  made 
in  eight  hours.  They  have  increased  the  speed  on 
the  rail  lines,  and  added  to  this  is  a  material  improve- 
ment in  the  harbor  of  Boulogne ;  hence  a  larger  and 
finer  class  of  steamers  now  run  between  Folkstone 
and  that  part  in  France.  Leaving  London  at  9.40 
a.  m.  by  the  South  Eastern  Railway,  no  stop  is 
made  between  it  and  Folkstone.  The  crossing  to 
Boulogne  is  accomplished  in  something  more  than  an 
hour,  and  the  run  from  there  to  Paris  is  made  in  four 
hours.  This  service  is  now  a  fixed  one  and  no  longer 
dependent,  as  formerly  on  the  tides.  I  can't  say  that 
the  journey  is  cheap,  costing,  as  it  does,  first-class, 
$i5  ;  and  while  on  the  subject  of  fares  I  will  add  that 
those  of  all  the  rail  lines,  both  in  England  and  on  the 
Continent,  seem  very  high  to  us.  The  distance  be- 
tween Paris  and  Venice  is  730  miles  ;  time,  32  hours  ; 
fare,  first-class,  $30 — something  more  than  four  cents 
per  mile  ;  and  when  one  selects  such  a  luxury  as  a 
sleeping  car  a  round  sum  is  exacted.  The  following 
is  my  bill  for  less  than  twelve  hours  in  a  sleeper  be- 
tween Paris  and  Basle,  occupying  only  a  single  berth: 

Francs. 

Sleeping  car  ticket 21.00 

Tax  for  purchasing  in  advance 1.75 

Government  tax  on  each  ticket 4.50 

Stamp o.  10 

Total 27.35 


36  LONDON    TO    THE    ADRIATIC. 

Or  about  $5.47  — figures  rather  startling  to  the  av- 
erage American  and  rather  disposing  him  to  travel 
only  by  day,  as  hotel  prices  for  an  entire  day  are 
usually  less.  All  this  comes  from  the  great  monopo- 
lies that  exist  here,  as,  also,  the  high  Government 
tax.  We  would  regard  in  America  such  figures  as 
almost  prohibitive  and  the  Pullman  Company,  with 
such  charges,  would  soon  be  forced  into  bankruptcy 
from  lack  of  travel.  Baggage,  too— which,  by  the 
by,  becomes  "  luggage"  as  soon  as  it  crosses  the  Atl- 
antic— is  also  an  expensive  luxury.  My  trunk, 
weighing  about  100  pounds,  cost,  between  Paris  and 
Venice,  $4.5o— neither  Switzerland  nor  Italy  allowing 
any  free  baggage ;  only  a  moderate-sized  hand-bag 
is  allowed  in  the  carriage  with  each  passenger. 

Of  course,  I  passed  some  time  in  Paris.  All  good 
Americans  find  it  an  attractive  city,  but  possibly  less 
so  than  formerly  Having  a  number  of  friends 
there,  I  mingled  quite  a  good  deal  in  the 
American  Colony,  and  I  think  they  all  agreed 
that  Paris  was  losing  many  of  its  former  attractions 
and  that  there  were  now  fewer  permanent  residents. 
On  the  other  hand,  England  is  gaining  in  this  respect, 
and  one  hears  of  Americans  renting  houses  by  the 
year.  The  natural  inference  is  that  they  like  it  better 
and  are  cordially  received  in  society,  where  they 
mingle  freely  with  the  best  intelligence  of  the  coun- 
try. 

Thanksgiving  day  was  observed  in  Paris  by  a  good 


MODERN  PARIS.  2)7 

share  of  the  American  residents  attending  church  in 
the  morning  and  a  family  gathering  in  the  evening. 
I  was  fortunate  in  having  an  invite  to  the  home  of  my 

friend,  Mr.  Charles  J.   CI h,  who  has  a  charming 

family  and  a  most  delightful  apartment  on  the  Ave- 
nue d'Jena,  near  the  "Arc  de  Triompe,"  one  of  the 
best  quarters  of  the  city.  Among  the  numerous 
tempting  dishes  that  were  served  our  "national  bird" 
was  conspicuous,  Of  course,  we  drank  to  sweet- 
hearts, wives  and  absent  friends.  It  was  a  late  hour 
when  the  party  broke  up. 

I  found  Paris  exceedingly  neat  and  clean — at  least 
it  was  so  in  the  parts  I  visited.  The  streets  are  in 
admirable  condition,  and  many  are  now  paved  with 
wood — this  having  been  laid  down  within  the  past 
three  years.  It  seems  to  stand  the  heavy  traffic 
well,  as  I  saw  no  holes  or  broken  places  ;  but  it  re- 
mains to  be  seen  if  this  style  of  pavement  lasts.  It 
seems,  however,  to  be  a  success  in  London,  where  it 
has  been  down  some  years  longer. 

Coming  from  Paris  to  this  city  one  has  a  choice  of 
routes.  He  may  reach  here  either  by  way  of  the 
Mont-Cenis  Tunnel,  which  route  passes  through 
Macon,  Aix-les-bains  and  Modene,  Turin  and  Milan, 
or  by  the  St.  Gothard  Tunnel,  which  takes  you  by 
Basle,  Lucerne,  Bellinzona  and  Milan.  I  chose  the 
latter,  as  being  to  me  the  most  novel  and  furnishing 
the  finest  scenery.  The  journey  of  that  section  of 
the  road  running  from  Paris  to  Basle,  in  Switzerland, 


38  LONDON    TO    THE    ADRIATIC. 

was  made  at  night,  as  the  country,  especially  at  this 
season,  is  not  particularly  attractive.  We  break- 
fasted at  the  capital  of  Switzerland  at  an  early  hour, 
and  then  continued  on  towards  Lucerne — the  coun- 
try growing  more  and  more  attractive  ;  from  Lucerne 
the  scenery  becomes  grand.  The  line  follows  the 
border  of  the  lake  for  some  distance  and  then  plunges 
into  the  gorge  of  the  river  Reuss.  From  this  point 
on,  the  views  are  superb  and  the  engineering  skill 
shown  in  the  construction  of  the  road  excites  our 
admiration.  At  times  we  could  see  the  track  both 
above  and  below  us,  so  rapid  is  the  ascent.  The 
tops  of  the  higher  peaks  were  covered  with  snow, 
and  the  day  being  rather  mild,  the  melted  snows 
formed  pretty  cascades  that  streaked  the  mountain 
sides,  churned  into  foamy  whiteness  through  their 
successive  leaps  from  cliff  to  cliff.  We  dined  at 
Goschenen  at  one  o'clock  and  immediately  after 
entered  the  Grand  Tunnel — the  longest  in  the  world, 
measuring  ten  miles,  which  we  made  in  twenty-three 
minutes — good  work  considering  the  rapid  rise  that 
is  made  in  passing  through  it.  At  its  highest  point 
my  pocket  aneroid  barometer  marked  about  4,000 
feet.  We  came  out  of  the  tunnel  at  Ariola,  at  which 
place  the  waters  flow  towards  the  Adriatic.  The 
descent  by  the  Italian  side  is  less  abrupt  and.  fewer 
tunnels  were  necessary  in  the  construction  of  this 
portion  of  the  work.  We  arrived  at  Milan  on  time 
and  quite  ready  to   enjoy  the  real  comforts  of  the 


CITY  OF    THE  DOGES.  39 

famous  "  Hotel  de  la  Ville,  "  one  of  the  very  best  in 
Italy.  Fog  prevailed  during  the  day  and  a  half  I 
could  spare  for  Milan,  and  to  some  degree  destroyed 
the  external  effect  of  its  famous  cathedral  ;  but  I 
passed  some  hours  wandering  through  its  massive 
interior  and  inspecting  its  various  monuments  and 
tombs. 

I  have  been  most  comfortable  during  the  two  days 
passed  in  this  quaint  and  unique  old  town.  My 
room  faces  the  harbor — and  the  entrance  of  the 
Grand  Canal,  and,  as  we  have  had  the  brightest  of 
skies,  Venice  has  appeared  at'  its  best.  The  gondo- 
las have  been  in  their  summer  dress  and  apparently 
all  brought  out  from  their  hiding  places,  as  I  counted 
this  morning  seventy-five  just  in  front  of  my  balcony. 
This  building  bears  many  evidences  of  having  been 
the  residence  of  one  of  the  Doges,  and  there  is  one 
apartment  that  is  especially  worth  inspecting — the 
suite  to  which  it  belongs  being  usually  occupied  by 
royalty  when  it  passes  this  way.  The  walls  and  ceil- 
ings are  richly  decorated,  and  there  are  several  em- 
blems— notably  the  "Cap  of  Liberty"  that  gives 
good  evidence  of  its  having  been  occupied  by  one 
of  the  heads  of  the  republic.  The  casings  of  the 
doors  are  of  variegated  marble,  and  the  massive 
beams  of  the  ceiling  show  the  room  to  have  been 
built  a  long  time  ago,  and  that  it  was  intended  to 
stand  through  many  ages — a  fact  which  has  been 
fully  verified. 


40  LONDON    TO     THE    ADRIATIC, 

But  I  must  leave  off  writing  and  get  ready  to 
embark  in  the  P.  &  O.  steamer,  which  sails  at  3  p.  m. 
for  Alexandria,  Egypt.  As  we  touch  at  Brindisi, 
Italy,  I  will  close  this  at  that  place. 

P.  and  O.  S.S.  "Assam,"  Brindisi,  Italy,  Sunday \ 
Dec.  6,  1 885. — We  reached  here  yesterday  morning, 
after  a  run  of  about  thirty-four  hours,  the  balance  of 
the  time  being  consumed  in  taking  on  cargo  at  An- 
conaand  in  waiting  for  daylight  by  which  to  enter  the 
harbor.  I've  rarely  ever  seen  a  more  quiet  sea  than 
we  have  had  since  leaving  Venice,  and  the  sky  is 
beautifully  bright.  I  hope  it  may  continue  so  'till  we 
reach  Egypt.  We  get  quite  an  accession  to  our 
cabin  passengers  by  the  India  mail  train  that  left 
London  on  Friday  night,  and  which  reaches  here  at 
1  a.  m.  to-morrow,  and  by  daylight  we  shall  be 
steaming  toward  the  Land  of  the  Pharaohs.  At 
Alexandria  we  leave  this  ship  and  proceed  by  rail  to 
Suez,  where  we  meet  the  Nepaul,  which  takes  us  to 
Bombay. 


VENICE  TO  THE  RED  SEA. 

P.    &    O.     S.S.     "  ASSAM," 
AT    SEA,    XEARING   ALEXANDRIA, 

December  8th,   1885. 

I  CLOSED  my  last  at  Brindisi,  Italy,  but  had  not 
told  you  anything  of  the  character  of  the  various 
ports  we  touched  at  ;  hence  it  is  not  unseasonable  to 
retrace  our  steps  and  go  back  to  Venice,  the  starting 
point  on  this  journey  to  the  East.  The  entrance  to 
the  harbor  of  this  city  is  made  through  a  narrow 
and  tortuous  channel,  the  line  of  which  is  well  de- 
fined by  a  series  of  wooden  piles,  in  some  cases 
driven  in  clusters — some  of  these  sufficiently  strong 
to  bear  a  heavy  strain,  as  at  the  narrow  turns  the 
ship  had  to  be  warped  around. 

The  distance  from  Venice  to  the  Adriatic,  I  should 
judge  to  be  from  four  to  five  miles,  which  took  us 
about  one  and  one-half  hours  to  run.  The  depth  of 
water  in  the  channel  is  about  24  feet,  but  the  harbor 
about  the  city  has   a  greater  depth.     I  was  told  the 


42  VENICE    TO    THE   RED   SEA. 

rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  is  about  one  foot.  The  ap- 
proaches to  the  city  appear  well  protected  by  mili- 
tary works,  and  every  available  spot  through  the 
marshy  district,  which  lies  below  the  town,  is  forti- 
fied. At  Ancona,  which  we  reached  in  twelve 
hours  from  Venice,  we  found  a  very  snug  and  much 
deeper  harbor,  and  vessels  of  the  largest  class  can 
lay  quite  close  to  the  town.  This  small  harbor  is  al- 
most entirely  artificial,  and  is  protected  from  the 
heavier  storms  by  the  form  of  the  coast,  aided  by 
artificial  breakwaters  of  stone.  The  town  presented 
a  pretty  appearance  from  the  ship,  and  a  number  of 
our  passengers  consumed  the  time  passed  there — 
some  four  hours — in  strolling  through  it  and  visiting 
an  old  cathedral  prominently  located  on  the 
heights. 

Brindisi,  some  400  miles  from  Venice,  has  quite  a 
spacious  harbor,  which  is  well  protected,  both  natur- 
ally and  artificially.  A  prominent  island,  with  a  pic- 
turesque fort  upon  it,  is  immediately  opposite  the 
entrance,  and  there  is  ample  room  after  crossing  the 
bar  for  a  large  fleet ;  but  the  depth  of  water  does  not 
permit  the  entrance  of  a  large  class  of  vessels.  The 
present  depth,  both  here  and  at  Venice,  is  kept  up 
mainly  through  dredging. 

Now  let  us  turn  our  attention  to  the  good  ship  "As- 
sam "  one  of  the  numerous  fleet — 5i  in  all — run  by 
the  "  P.  and  O."  Company.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  features  about  her  is  the  crew  and  cabin 


THE   GOOD   SHIP   "ASSAM."  43 

boys,  as  they  bring  me,  for  the  first  time,  in  con- 
tact with  the  people  of  the  East.  The  working  sail- 
ors are  called  Lascars,  and  come  from  the  west 
coast  of  India,  about  Surat,  and  are  Musselmen  in 
religion.  They  are  lightly-built  men  not  possessed 
of  any  great  physical  strength,  but  many  have  intel- 
ligent and  regular  features,  especially  those  selected 
for  petty  officers.  All  have  dark  complexion  and 
straight  black  hair,  and  among  themselves  speak  Hin- 
dostani  but  know  sufficient  Eno-lish  to  understand 
the  commands  of  their  officers.  The  firemen  and 
coal-heavers  are  chiefly  Africans,  and  most  of  them 
come  direct  from  that  country.  The  usual  character- 
istics of  that  people  are  prominent ;  short,  curly 
hair,  thick  lips  and  broad,  flat  noses  prevailing.  The 
under-stewards  and  cabin  boys  are  Portugese 
Indians — that  is,  descendants  of  those  who  were  first 
taught  the  Christian  religion  by  the  Portugese,  who 
were  the  first  European  settlers  at  and  about  Bom- 
bay. They  are  bright,  intelligent  fellows,  who  speak 
more  or  less  English  and  are  most  respectful. 
4i  Picto  "  looks  after  my  cabin  and  "  Sanches  '"  waits 
upon  me  at  the  table.  All  the  above  classes  have 
over  them  a  certain  number  of  English  officers — en- 
gineers and  stewards — who  have  the  direct  manage- 
ment of  the  various  departments.  The  ship  is  roomy, 
and  is  provided  with  large,  square  ports,  adapted  for 
a  tropical  climate.  Most  of  the  cabins  are  arranged 
for  three  persons,  but  they  rarely  fill  them. 


44  VENICE    TO    THE  RED   SEA. 

The  India  and  Australia  mail,  which  we  received 
on  board  at  Brindisi,  is  a  large  one,  numbering  over 
900  sacks.  No  doubt  the  Xmas  holidays  have  done 
much  towards  swelling  it  to  this  great  bulk  by  home 
contributions  of  books  and  Xmas  cards  to  their  friends 
resident  in  India;  but  I  learn  that  the  natives  are 
large  subscribers  to  English  journals  and  periodicals, 
and  an  examination  of  the  post  office  book  for  India 
tells  me,  there  are  8,000  post  offices  in  the  Empire, 
widely  distributed.  Truly,  the  English  Government, 
in  its  paternal  character,  gives  the  native  some  return 
for  taxes  imposed. 

The  police  and  discipline,  under  Captain  Cole,  are 
excellent,  but  these  ships  have  not  all  the  conven- 
iences found  in  the  passenger  vessels  of  the  Atlantic 
trade.  Their  speed,  too,  is  but  something  more  than 
twelve  miles  per  hour.  Under  this  speed,  and  by 
the  schedule,  we  reach  Alexandria,  825  miles  from 
Brindisi,  on  December  10,  and  leave  the  same  morn- 
ing (by  rail),  and  arrive  at  Suez,  220  miles  from  Alex- 
andria, that  evening.  We  start  at  midnight  on 
Thursday  and  reach  Aden  (1,308  miles)  on  the  i5th, 
remain  six  hours,  to  "  coal  up,"  and  then  arrive  at 
Bombay,  1,664  miles  from  Aden,  on  Tuesday  noon 
(2  2d  inst).  Whole  distance  from  Venice  by  this 
route,  4,400  miles.  It  is  a  little  longer  via  Port  Said 
and  the  Canal. 

Hotel  Suez,  Suez,  Egypt,  December  11,  188 5. — We 
had  a  detention   of  12   hours  at  Alexandria,  which 


ALEXANDRIA    IN  EGYPT.  /\S 

was  not  disappointing,  as  it  made  a  pleasant  break 
in  the  journey  and  enabled  us  to  have  a  comforta- 
ble drive  in  and  about  the  city.  A  party  of  us 
passed  a  part  of  the  morning  in  driving  through  the 
principal  streets  and  visiting  the  various  bazars.  We 
also  visited  the  forts,  which  still  show  the  destructive 
effects  of  the  English  bombardment.  That  portion 
of  the  city  about  the  "  Grand  Square,"  and  which 
was  burned  during  the  siege,  is  being  rebuilt  in  a 
superior  style  to  that  which  obtained  in  1875,  when 
I  was  last  in  Alexandria.  In  the  course  of  this  drive 
we  passed  the  Mahamoud  Canal,  and  several  gar- 
dens bordering  upon  it,  rich  in  tropical  plants  and 
flowers.  I  saw  numerous  flowers  of  the  poinsettsia, 
the  leaves  of  which  were  as  large  as  my  hand;  and 
oleanders  that  were  in  full  bloom  and  almost  as  large 
as  trees.  There  were  also  numerous  cadi,  and  the 
fragrance  from  the  sweet-scented  acacia  was  delic- 
ious.  Morning  glories,  in  full  bloom,  were  climbing 
nearly  every  protected  wall — quite  a  contrast,  is  it 
not,  to  the  character  of  vegetation  and  temperature 
that  this  will  find  you  in  ? 

The  older  parts  of  Alexandria  are  very  picturesque 
indeed  ;  the  projecting  or  over-hanging  stories  of 
the  houses  ;  the  Moorish  blinds  to  the  windows  ; 
the  bazars  with  the  workmen  sitting  in  front  of  their 
doors — all  engaged  in  manufacturing  various  articles, 
particularly  in  silver  and  gold  ;  the  narrow  streets ; 
picturesque  Moorish  costumes,  and  the  varied  scene 


46  VENICE    TO    THE  RED   SEA. 

one  meets  with  will  all  tend  towards  making  it,  especi- 
ally to  the  new-comer,  a  novel  and  interesting  sight, 
that  is  in  pleasing  contrast  to  the  land  one  has  just 
left  ;  but  the  smells  encountered  do  not  incline  one  to 
linger  long  in  the  quarters  especially  occupied  by  the 
Arab. 

The  afternoon  I  passed  with  Commander  Nicoll 
Ludlow,  U.  S.  Navy,  a  Suffolk  County  man,  who 
commands  the  snug  little  steamer  Quinnebaug, 
then  lying  in  the  harbor,  and  which  he  keeps 
in  tip-top  order.  I  was  invited  to  inspect  his 
vessel,  and  every  part  of  her  showed  the  closest 
attention  to  police  and  discipline.  The  men 
looked  contented  and  remarkably  healthy.  He 
had  not  a  man  in  hospital  out  of  two  hundred. 
He  greeted  me  with  genuine  Long  Island  hospi- 
tality, and  in  his  steam  launch  we  made  a  tour  of 
the  Harbor  of  Alexandria,  where  he  pointed  out  the 
various  objects  of  interest.  We  also  visited  the 
Khedive's  yacht — a  very  spacious  and  richly  decora- 
ted vessel,  and  after  giving  me  a  very  comfortable 
and  homelike  dinner,  he  bid  me  good  speed  on  my 
voyage,  as  the  train  was  starting  for  this  place.  As 
the  run  was  made  by  night,  we  saw  but  little  of  the 
canal,  but  from  daylight  'till  7  a.  m.  we  passed  near 
enough  to  see  numerous  large  steamers  ploughing 
their  way,  as  it  were,  through  the  desert. 

As  we  reach  here  in  advance  of  the   Nepaul — the 
steamer  which  is  to  take  us  through  the  Red  Sea  to 


THE  SUEZ  CANAL.  47 

Bombay  (she  having  been  detained  by  rough  weather 
on  her  voyage  to  London  and  by  fog  on  the  canal) 
—we  have  passed  the  day  rather  profitably  by  visit- 
ing the  street  and  bazars  of  this  old  town  (once  the 
starting  point  for  the  overland  mail  by  coaches  to 
Alexandria),  and  also  by  a  ride  on  donkeys  to  the 
offices  of  the  Canal  Company,  which  are  pleasantly 
located  near  its  mouth.  Here  we  were  permitted  to 
inspect  the  system  by  which  the  officers  can  see  at  a 
glance  the  location  of  any  ship  that  has  entered  the 
canal  from  either  mouth.  I  also  saw  some  figures 
that  give  one  a  good  idea  of  its  enormous  traffic. 
While  in  1870  the  number  of  vessels  was  only  486, 
of  436,609  tons — dues  about  $870,000 — m  1884  the 
number  of  vessels  was  3,284;  tonnage  5, 871,500; 
and  dues  amounting  in  round  figures  to  over  $1 1,- 
700,000. 

We  go  on  board  the  Nepaul  about  sunset  and  by 
1  o'clock  will  be  steaming  down  the  Red  Sea. 

P,  and  O.  Stmr.  ATepaul,  Red  Sea,  (La/.  ij°  N.), 
Dec.  ijth,  1885. — We  sailed  promptly  at  the  hour  above 
named,  and  have  been  making  good  time  towards 
Aden,  where  I  shall  mail  this.  The  Red  Sea  has 
proved  a  very  quiet  one  to  us,  but  hot,  as  I  believe 
it  always  is.  The  prevailing  breeze  is  from  the  north 
— hence  we  have  had  it  following  us — but  as  every 
convenience  is  made  to  provide  against  heat  we  have 
not  suffered.  It  is  only  in  the  cabins  and  on  the 
sunny  side  that  one  experiences  any  discomfort.    On 


48  VENICE    TO    THE  RED    SEA. 

deck,  with  a  double  awning,  it  is  almost  always  pleas- 
ant, but  I  am  told  that  in  the  summer  time  the  heat 
is  intense.  I  think  the  highest  the  thermometer  has 
marked  has  been  87  degrees.  Passengers  are  al- 
lowed to  take  their  mattresses  on  deck,  which  gives 
one  comfortable  nights  and  refreshing  sleep.  The 
"punka,"  or  table  fan,  was  started  the  second  day 
after  leaving  Suez,  so  that  all  our  meals  are  taken 
with  a  gentle  current  of  wind  blowing  over  the  table. 
There  are  some  features  of  this  sea  that  are  striking 
and  deserve  notice — not  the  least  attraction  being 
the  superb  sunsets  which  we  had  while  in  the  Gulf 
of  Suez — the  upper  portion  of  the  sea.  The  coloring, 
combined  with  the  highly-marked  outline  of  the 
mountains  which  have  a  reddish  tint,  produced  an 
effect  at  sunset  that  I've  rarely  seen  surpassed — and 
the  red  coloring  of  its  rocky  shores  would  seem  to 
have  given  it  the  name  of  Red  Sea.  At  least  it's 
the  best  explanation  I  can  learn,  for  there  is  certain- 
ly nothing  peculiar  about  its  waters.  The  rise  and 
fall  of  the  tide  at  Suez,  is  often  eight  or  nine  feet,  and 
is  felt  some  miles  up  the  canal. 

I  meet  on  board  this  ship  a  large  number  of  India- 
bound  passengers,  the  major  part  being  made  up  of 
military  and  civilian  officials  returning  to  their  posts. 
All  have  been  exceedingly  kind  and  polite,  and  I've 
learned  many  details  of  the  inner  life  of  the  Indian 
native.  We  have  on  board  Surgeon  Hewlett,  whose 
duties  are  confined  to  inspecting  certain  districts,  re- 


COLLECTING    THE  REVENUE.  49 

porting  upon  their  sanitary  conditions  and  recom- 
mending the  best  modes  of  improving  them.  There  is 
also  an  Inspector  of  Prisons,  who  is  full  of  informa- 
tion and  has  given  me  many  interesting  facts.  The 
Collectors,  of  which  there  are  several  on  board,  are 
very  entertaining  men.  Their  duties,  in  addition  to 
collecting  the  Government  revenue,  are  somewhat 
magisterial,  and  in  the  tours  through  their  districts — 
often  embracing  areas  of  country  twenty-five  by  fifty 
miles  in  extent,  and  containing  7,000,000  of  people — 
they  exercise  the  duties  of  magistrates,  settling  dis- 
putes between  farmers,  etc.  The  roads  are  also 
largely  in  their  charge.  They  are  thrown  more  in- 
timately in  contact  with  the  people  than  almost  any 
other  class,  and  are  often  for  weeks  camped  in  their 
midst.  The  details  of  the  domestic  life  and  of  the 
household,  the  hours  of  labor,  of  repose,  and  of  their 
meals,  as  also  their  ceremonies,  are  all  familiar  to 
these  officials,  and  they  have  suggested  that  I  pass  a 
few  days  with  a  Collector  while  on  his  round,  which 
I  may  do  if  time  permits. 

We  reach  Aden  to-morrow  about  noon,  and  will 
probably  pass  a  few  hours  and  add  some  coal  to  our 
present  stock.  I'm  informed  that  the  chief  objects  of 
interest  are  "The  Tanks,"  constructed  in  Roman 
times  for  the  storage  of  water.  They  are  in  the  hands 
of  the  English,  and  rightly,  too,  for  no  nation  is  so 
deeply  interested  in  keeping  this  route  to  the  East 
open  for  traffic.     My  Xmas  dinner  I  expect  to  eat  in 


5o  VENICE    TO    THE  RED   SEA. 

Bombay,  and  as  evidence  of  Indian  hospitality,  I  will 
add,  that  I've  already  been  asked  to  dine  on  that 

day  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W r,  two  as  agreeable  and 

interesting  people  as  we  have  on  board,  and  long  res- 
idents of  Bombay. 


VI. 

ADEN  TO  BOMBAY. 

P.  AND   O.     STMR.   "  NEPAUL,"    INDIAN     OCEAN. 
(LAT.    17°    N.,    LONG.   63°  E.,  "  LINE  OF    NO   VARIATION.") 

Sunday,  December  20th,  1883. 

IT  is  not  often  that  a  Long-  Island  man  crosses  the 
line  of  "  no  variation,"  in  the  Indian  Ocean — 
hence  I  gave  it  a  prominent  place  in  the  heading  of 
this  letter.  It  is  probably  superfluous  to  tell  your 
readers  that  this  line  is  where  the  magnetic  meridian 
and  the  true  meridian  coincide — or,  in  other  words, 
that  the  needle  of  the  compass  points  to  the  true 
north  and  there  is  no  variation  either  to  the  right  or 
left,  as  is  usually  the  case. 

We  were  a  day  late  in  reaching  Aden,  but  that 
did  not  prevent  our  making  the  usual  stop  of  six 
hours — time  sufficient  to  see  everything  of  interest. 
We  were  on  shore  by  2  p.  m.  of  the  16th — landing 
at  the  post  office  pier.  After  securing  the  necessary 
stamps  and  mailing  our  letters,  we  hired  a  covered 
carriage,  drawn  by  a  small,  but  active  pony,  for  an 


52 


ADEN    TO  BOMBAY. 


excursion  to  the  old  town  of  Aden  and  "  The  Tanks  " 
near  it.  The  charge  was  not  high — being  less  than 
50  cents  for  a  drive  of  five  miles  and  back.  As  we 
passed  along  the  shores  of  the  harbor  we  saw  numer- 
ous large  coal  yards  belonging  to  the  various  steam- 
ship companies  trading  to  the  East,  all  of  which  gave 
evidence  of  the  importance  of  this  place  as  a  coaling 
port  on  the  route  to  and  from  the  Isthmus  of  Suez ; 
and  here  I  wish  to  add  that  England  has  shown  her 
foresight  in  the  acquisition  and  holding  of  such 
strategic  coaling  points  as  Gibraltar,  Malta,  the 
Island  of  Perim,  Colombo  and  Singapore,  Hong 
Kong  and  Shanghai,  etc. — places  so  essential  to  a 
commercial  nation  like  her,  whose  vast  commerce 
penetrates  to  the  extreme  East  and  to  the  furthermost 
points  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere — and  I,  for  one, 
am  heartily  glad  that  she  does  hold  them,  as  good 
government,  free  and  fair  trade,  excellent  police, 
broad  and  well-kept  streets  and  good  public  convey- 
ances usually  attend  where  she  controls. 

In  reference  to  the  occupation  of  Perim — an  island 
in  the  narrowest  part  of  the  Straits  of  Babelmandeb, 
and  about  ninety  miles  from  Aden — I  must  relate  the 
story,  as  given  by  a  fellow-passenger,  a  Judge  from 
India.  It  appears  that,  many  years  since,  the  French 
had  fitted  out  an  expedition  for  its  occupation,  which 
stopped  at  Aden  en  route.  While  being  entertained 
by  the  English  commander  it  leaked  out  whither  the 
party  was  bound.     The  Aden  commander  at  once 


ADEN'S    WATERWORKS.  03 

secretly  despatched  a  party  to  occupy  it,  so  that 
when  the  French  arrived  they  found  the  English  flag 
flying,  and  were  necessarily  defeated  in  their  pur- 
pose. 

We  found  the  old  city  of  Aden,  which  lies  in  the 
crater  of  an  extinct  volcano,  built  in  the  Moorish 
style,  with  wide  streets  and  a  central  square,  around 
which  are  numerous  cafes,  where  the  natives  were 
enjoying  themselves  in  various  ways.  "The  Tanks," 
which  are  at  the  farther  end  of  the  old  town,  date 
back  to  an  earlier  period,  and  show  evidence  of 
good  engineering  skill.  They  are  capable  of  hold- 
ing 8,000,000  gallons,  which  would  be  a  most  useful 
supply  in  case  of  siege.  I  believe  most  of  the  water 
now  consumed  is  from  distillation  of  sea  water — 'the 
tank  water  is  being  reserved  for  an  emergency. 
Aden  is  far  from  attractive-looking,  and  I  fancied  it 
would  be  shunned  by  the  military,  but  was  assured 
by  an  officer  who  had  been  stationed  there  that  he 
did  not  regard  it,  by  any  means,  as  the  worst  of 
English  military  stations. 

In  the  course  of  our  drive  we  met  numerous 
trains  of  camels  packed  with  various  articles  of  mer- 
chandise, which  they  were  conveying  to  the  interior. 
These  packs  weigh  about  300  pounds  each.  The 
animals  follow  in  single  file  and  move  at  the  rate  of 
about  three  miles  an  hour — their  Arab  drivers  fol- 
lowing on  foot  or  riding  other  camels.  Among 
them  were  some  fine  specimens  of  men — tall,  erect, 


54  ADEN    TO    BOMB  A  Y. 

and  rather  handsome-featured  fellows,  who  stepped 
out  with  a  vim.  Still,  neither  their  legs  nor  arms 
showed  much  muscular  development,  and  I  fancy 
they  are  little  given  to  hard  work.  Every  care 
seemed  to  be  given  to  the  protection  of  the  head 
from  the  burning  sun,  and  immense  turbans  of  varied 
colors  covered  them,  but  their  bodies  were  often  at- 
tired with  only  the  scantiest  description  of  clothing. 
We  met  one  or  two  patriarchal-looking  men  wear- 
ing the  green  turban — an  unmistakable  sign,  I  was 
told;  that  they  had  made  the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca — 
and  they  looked  so  well  satisfied  that  I'm  sure  they 
were  enjoying  the  fruits  of  the  long  journey  to 
their  Holy  Land. 

The  harbor  of  Aden  owes  its  protection  to  the  for- 
mation of  the  coast,  and  the  port  lies  at  the  upper 
end  of  quite  an  extended  bay.  It  is  here  the  Gov- 
ernor resides  and  the  various  steam  lines  have  their 
agencies.  The  old  town  is  five  miles  away,  but  is 
connected  with  the  port  by  an  excellent  Mcadamized 
road.  I  judged  from  the  appearance  of  the  shores 
that  there  was  a  very  considerable  tide,  and  upon 
inquiry  found  that  its  rise  and  fall  were  between  eight 
and  nine  feet. 

I  will  finish  this  letter  on  reaching  Bombay  (where 
we  expect  to  be  on  the  2 2d),  merely  adding  that  our 
voyage  has  been  an  exceedingly  pleasant  one,  with 
very  fine  weather — the  slight  breeze  which  we've  en- 
joyed being  ahead  and  serving  to  cool  the  ship.     The 


FIRST  IMPRESSIONS.  55 

temperature  has  risen  from  jS  degrees  to  80  degrees 
Farenheit.  and,  that  you  may  the  better  appreciate 
the  calmness  of  the  sea,  I  will  say  that  since  leaving 
Suez  there  has  been  dancing  on  deck  nearly  every 
evening. 

Byculla  Chcb,  Bombay,  Friday,  X?nas,  1885.  — It  is 
81  degrees  in  the  shade,  and  I've  wandered  about 
this  immense  establishment  hoping  to  find  some 
cool  spot  in  which  to  complete  this  letter,  begun 
on  the  20th  inst.,  and  have  finally  settled  upon 
the  "  Hon.  Secretary's"  desk  in  the  basement,  where 
I  find  the  faintest  possible  breeze ;  and  here  on  a 
Xmas  morning,  I  purpose  giving  some  impressions 
of  Bombay,  for  first  impressions  are  apt  to  be  most 
vivid  and  most  heartfelt. 

We  entered  the  harbor  and  cast  anchor  at  5  p.  m. 
on  the  2 2d.  Our  good  ship,  having  been  pushed  a 
little,  responded  and  brought  us  in  on  schedule  time. 
Our  anchorage  was  immediately  opposite  the  fort, 
as  it  is  still  called,  although  at  the  present  time  there 
is  no  evidence  of  any  military  work,  and  the  Govern- 
ment has  appropriated  it  as  sites  for  its  various  pub- 
lic buildings — many  of  them  being  superb  structures 
and  nearly  all  built  in  a  semi-Moorish  style — combin- 
ing the  best  features  of  the  Gothic  with  those  of  the 
Oriental.  As  we  steamed  in,  Malabar  and  Colaba 
Points  showed  up  well  and  we  could  detect,  by  the 
aid  of  our  glasses,  the  handsome  residences  of  the 
Europeans  and   rich  natives,  which  cover  the  former, 


56  ADEN    TO    BOMBAY. 

embowered  in  a  mass  of  tropical  vegetation.  Prom- 
inent among  the  residences  is  Government  House, 
the  winter  residence  of  the  Military  Governor.  In 
the  far  distance  the  Ghauts  Mountains  were  discerni- 
ble, whose  clay  looking  sides,  enveloped  in  a  slight 
haze,  gave  to  them  a  peculiar  effect.  An  immense 
fleet  of  merchant  vessels  of  nearly  every  nationality 
lay  at  anchor  near  us,  and  the  harbor  seemed  spacious 
enough  to  contain  a  good  share  of  the  shipping  of 
the  world.  Altogether  it  is  one  of  the  most  exten- 
sive  and  picturesque  harbors  I've  ever  visited. 

The  Port  Surgeon  had  hardly  boarded  us  before 
we  were  surrounded  by  as  motley  and  varied  crafts  as 
one  often  meets  with — from  the  snug-  steam  launch 
to  the  native  boat,  with  its  graceful  lateen  sail  and 
picturesque  sailors ;  conspicuous  among  which  were 
the  Parsees,  whose  striking  black  hats  at  once 
attract  your  attention.  I  could  liken  it  to  noth- 
ing better  than  a  section  of  a  stovepipe  with  its  up- 
per part  cut  off  at  an  angle  less  than  forty-five  de- 
grees, and  with  its  base  set  into  a  sort  of  cup  to  fit 
the  head.  The  Parsee  priests  wear  the  same  shaped 
hat,  but  of  white  material.  We  soon  passed  the  in- 
spection of  the  Customs  official,  were  warmly  greeted 
by  some  European  friends,  who  were  on  the  lookout 
for  us,  and  sailed  to  the  landing  place  at  the  Apollo 
Bunder,  and,  climbing  a  long  flight  of  stone  steps 
(for  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  is  from  18  to  19  feet), 
were  in  India. 


BOMBAY    TRAMWAYS.  Sj 

A  drive  of  two  and  a  half  miles,  through  the  dusty, 
populous  streets  of  the  old  town,  brought  us  to  this 
spacious  and  comfortable  club,  where  I  am  most 
comfortably  placed — for  all  of  which  I  feel  grateful  to 
my  kind  friend,  Mr.  Pickering  Clark,  one  of  Bom- 
bay's most  useful  citizens,  and  to  whom  that  city 
largely  owes  her  well-conducted  and  excellent  tram- 
way system.  I've  thoroughly  inspected  its  stables, 
shops,  and  offices,  and  for  good  order,  thorough  con- 
struction, and  neatness  of  appearance  they  compare 
well  with  similar  systems  in  any  section  of  the  globe- 
Mr.  Clark  is  ably  seconded  in  his  work  by  Mr. 
George  A.  Kittredge,  another  American  gentleman 
and  a  twenty-five  years'  resident  of  Bombay. 

To  give  you  an  idea  of  the  care  bestowed  by  this 
company  upon  its  horses,  I  can  add  that  when  the 
sun  has  great  power,  not  an  animal  is  hitched  in — , 
without  having  a  light  cork  hood,  attached  to  the 
head  stall  and  raised  above  the  animal's  head.  The 
result  is  that  they  are  rarely  overcome  by  heat  and 
sunstroke,  and  while  1  am  told  the  loss  of  animals 
from  over-fatigue  and  other  causes,  and  on  street 
railroads,  in  New  York  City,  is  about  10  per  cent, 
here  it  does  not  exceed  7. 

As  I'm  making  this  letter  rather  lengthy,  I  must 
reserve  for  another,  some  descriptions  of  the  street 
scenes  and  the  varied  objects  of  interest  to  be  met 
with  here.  Before  closing,  however,  I  must  intro- 
duce to  you  "Ramah,''   the   gentle  Hindoo   servant, 


58  ADEN    TO    BOMB  A  V. 

who  is  to  be  my  attendant  in  this  trip  through  a  part 
of  India.  Fancy  to  yourself  a  man  of  about  thirty 
years ;  of  medium  height  and  light  build;  rather 
regular  features;  color  something  darker  than  mulatto: 
and  clothed  in  a  species  of  white  tunic  extending  to 
the  knees  (called  angurker),  and  with  white  pants; 
to  this  add  a  gorgeous  turban  of  red  and  gold,  with 
blue  sash  about  the  waist,  and  you  have  a  rough  pen 
picture  of  the  native  who  is  to  serve  me  (unless  he 
proves  unfaithful)  till  I  depart  for  more  Eastern 
lands.  He  has  been,  now,  two  days  in  my  service, 
and  you  can  imagine  how  oddly  it  seemed  when,  last 
evening,  upon  entering  the  dining  room  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  C  A.  Winter,  who  had  kindly  asked  me  to  dine 
with  them,  to  find  "Ramah"  at  the  back  of  my  chair; 
but,  like  all  things  else,  one  soon  accomodates  him- 
self to  new  customs.  At  some  houses  I  would  not 
have  had  any  attention  unless  provided  with  a  servant 
of  my  own  ;  the  only  exception  to  this  is  Govern- 
ment House,  where  one  is  not  expected  to  bring 
their  own  servant,  but  at  all  other  houses,  dinners  or 
evening  entertainments,  you  take  your  own  atten- 
dant. This  applies  equally  to  all  railway  stations  and 
hotels.  I  pay  what  is  regarded  as  rather  a  high  price 
for  "Raman's"  services  $10  per  month,  but  he  finds 
himself  with  board  and  lodging;  of  course  I  pay  his 
railway  fare,  which  third  class  is  about  one  cent  per 
mile. 


VII. 

HINDOO  AND  PARSEE. 

BYCULLA     CLUB,  BOMBAY. 
(LAT.   l8°  53'  N.,   LONG.    72°   53'  E.,   TEMP.   AT  8  A.   M.,  75°) 

December  joth,  1885. 

I  HAVE  been  more  than  a  week  in  Bombay, and 
it's  not  unreasonable  that  you  ask  for  my 
impressions. — "  Is  it  disappointing,  or  are  you  pleased, 
and  what  are  some  of  its  striking-  features  ?  "  So  far 
from  being  disappointed,  I'm  not  only  pleased,  but 
it  has  even  surpassed  my  expectations  ;  and,  except- 
ing Cairo,  in  Egypt,  I  know  no  city  that  furnishes  so 
great  a  variety  and  is  so  decidedly  Eastern  in  its 
details,  as  well  as  in  its  general  appearance,  as  this. 
Its  location  is  superb — being  upon  a  peninsula  with 
a  grand  bay  on  one  side  and  the  Indian  Ocean  on 
the  other — far  the  greater  part  of  the  city  being  on 
high  ground,  with  its  principal  residences  scattered 
over  the  hills  and  along  the  sea-shore,  and  it  presents 
to  me  a  most  picturesque  appearance.     The  views 


OO  HINDOO  AND  PARSER. 

from  Malabar  Hill  (one  of  its  highest  points)  at  sun- 
set, are  among  the  most  striking  and  beautiful  I've 
ever  seen.  It  is  in  this  vicinity  that  the  rich  Parsees 
and  Hindoos  have  built  their  finest  bungalows — some 
of  them  rivalling  in  extent,  beauty  of  design  and  or- 
namentation the  handsomest  villas  I've  ever  met 
with  in  any  portion  of  the  world.  Spacious  grounds 
surround  each,  and  scattered  through  them  are  rich 
tropical  plants  and  trees,  whose  ample  branches  keep 
out  a  portion  of  the  burning  sun  and  give  a  most 
luxurious,  as  well  as  comfortable,  appearance  to  these 
Eastern  homes.  Many  of  them  are  temporarily  oc- 
cupied by  the  European  residents. 

But  it  is  the  street  scenes  that  are  most  diverting 
and  interesting  to  me,  and  these  are  to  be  found 
mainly  in  the  old  town  and  in  the  populous  districts, 
where  in  some  instances  Jo  or  80  people  occupy  a 
single  house.  Here,  sitting  in  front  of  their  little 
workshops  or  grocery  stores,  and  in  the  street  ped-"1 
dling  their  various  wares,  are  to  be  found,  at  the 
cooler  hours,  the  most  varied  collection  imaginable, 
and  these  furnish  the  most  interesting  objects  of 
study.  The  Hindoo,  with  his  white  dress  and  varied- 
colored  turban  ;  the  Mussulman,  similarly  clad  ;  and 
the  rather  neat  and  natty  Parsee,  are  all  to  be  found 
collected  in  these  localities.  Only  the  lower  classes 
of  women  are  to  be  met  in  the  streets — that  is,  ex- 
posed to  the  public  gaze — excepting  the  families  of 
the    Parsees,  who  are  no    longer    polygamists  and 


9 

FUNERAL   RITES.  6  I 


seem  anxious  to  follow  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  English,  with  whom  they've  long  been  on  the 
best  of  terms.  The  Parsee,  when  driven  from  his 
Persian  home,  sought  the  shores  of  the  Indian  Ocean 
above  Bombay,  and,  showing  skill  in  various  descrip- 
tions of  trade,  he  naturally  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  earliest  English  settlers  of  this  country,  and  as 
he  has  never,  like  the  Hindoo,  been  the  advocate  of 
excessively  youthful  marriages,  he  has  preserved  his 
stature  and  vigor,  which  is  shown  both  in  his  person 
and  features. 

In  religion  the  Parsees  are  fireworshippers,  but 
they  endeavor,  also,  to  preserve  the  purity  of  all  the 
elements — hence  the  bodies  of  their  dead  are  never 
committed  to  the  ground,  but  are  exposed  in  towers 
of  high  eminences,  where  they  are  devoured  by  vul- 
tures. The  following  description  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  dead  are  treated  was  given  me  by  one  of 
my  fellow-voyagers  :  "  It  seems  that  in  every  Parsee 
house  there  is,  near  the  stairway  or  well  of  the 
house,  covered  with  lattice,  an  aperture.  As  soon 
as  life  has  left  the  body  of  the  deceased  it  is  taken  to 
this  opening  and  lowered  to  the  ground  floor,  where 
it  is  received  by  a  class  of  priests  called  "Nesersala," 
or  death  men  (as  their  presence  in  the  house  would 
pollute  it,  the1  body  is  lowered  to  them),  who  prepare 
it  for  the  last  ceremonies.  After  it  is  appropriately 
dressed  in  white,  the  forehead  is  smeared  with  a 
kind  of  butter  called  ghie,  and  immediately  afterward 


62  HINDOO    AND    PARSEE. 

the   dog,   which    is  always    found   in   every    Parsee 
house,  is  admitted.     Should  he  go  to  the  body  and 
lick  the  forehead  it  is  regarded  as  a  good  omen  and 
evidence  that  the  departed  is  enjoying  Paradise  ;  but 
on  the  other  hand,  should  he  refuse,  the  decree  has 
been  purgatory.     A  procession  is  then  formed  of  the 
friends  of  the  deceased,  preceded  by  the  priests,  who 
convey    the    body    on    a    bier   to    the    "Towers   of 
Silence."     Only  the  male  relatives  attend,  and  they 
are  clothed  in  white  and  follow  the  corpse  in  pairs, 
each   pair   holding  a    white    handkerchief  between 
them.     Having  arrived  at  the  main  gate  of  the  en- 
closure, the  body  is  taken  in  charge  of  by  another  set 
of  priests  who  carry  the  body  to  the  tower  intended 
for  its   reception.     These    towers,   five   in   number, 
differ  somewhat  in  size — the  largest  being  about  270 
feet  in  circumference   and  some    40  feet  in   height. 
The  interior  of  each  tower,  which  is  open  to  the  sky; 
is  covered  at  a  height  of  ten  feet   from  the  ground, 
with  a  circular-flooring,  which  slopes  towards  a  cen- 
tral well  and  contains   numerous  open  grooves  on 
which  the  bodies  are  laid.     The  outer  ring  of  this 
flooring,  or  one  nearest  the  inner  wall  of  the  tower, 
is  appropriated  for  men,  and  signifies  good  actions  ; 
the  second  ring,  signifying  good   words,  is  for  wo- 
men, and  the  inner  ring,  meaning  good  thoughts,  for 
children.     Before  the  body  is  taken  into  the  tower — 
which  is  through  an  aperture  in  its  wall  a  few  feet 
from  the  gronnd — it  is  stripped  of  its  clothing,  which 


TOWERS  OF  SILENCE.  63 

is  cast  into  another  tower.  As  soon  as  the  priests 
retire,  a  cloud  of  vultures  alight  and  in  a  few  mo- 
ments strip  the  bones  of  the  flesh.  A  few  days  later 
the  priests  return  and  with  long-handled  pincers 
seize  the  bones  and  throw  them  down  the  central 
well,  which  is  40  feet  or  more  in  width,  where  they  re- 
main to  be  decomposed  by  air  and  rain.  The  mois- 
ture runs  off  into  the  ground  through  filters  of  char- 
coal and  sand,  and  leaves  only  the  bones  to  crumble 
into  their  natural  elements.  I  visited  these  towers 
one  evening  near  sunset,  and  found  the  grounds 
about  them  converted  into  a  beautiful  garden.  There, 
were  numerous  vultures  sitting  on  the  tower  edge 
and  perched  upon  the  trees  about.  Every  portion 
of  the  grounds  was  scrupulously  clean  and  neat.  I 
was  told  that  the  priests  who  perform  these  various 
services  in  connection  with  the  dead  are  a  distinct 
class,  and  do  not  mingle  with  the  other  members  of 
the  Parsee  community.  They  live  apart  from  the 
world,  and  often  in  small  colonies  made  up  entirely 
of  their  own  sect,  and  their  marriages  limited  to 
members  of  their  own  calling — in  truth,  while  re- 
garded as  necessary,  they  are  shunned  by  their  fel- 
low Parsees. 

The  guide,  who  accompanied  me,  showed  every- 
thing but  the  interior  of  the  towers  ;  but  there  was  a 
working  model  of  one,  which  he  fully  explained,  and 
I  then,  after  giving  him  a  few  "annas"  (three  cents 
each),  withdrew  to  a   prominent   point  on  the   hill  to 


64  HINDOO    AND    PARSEE. 

view  the  harbor  and  city  and  witness  a  most  glorious 
sunset,  for  the  views  from  the  hill  where  the  towers 
are.  located  are  the  best  in  the  city.  Coming  down, 
I  got  into  my  carriage  and  drove  along  the  sea  shore 
and,  it  so  chanced,  passed  the  cremating  enclosure  of 
the  Hindoos.  Thinking  I'd  make  a  single  day  of 
this  species  of  sight-seeing,  I  descended,  and  enter- 
ing the  main  gate  was  conducted  by  a  rear  passage 
to  a  point  where  I  could  witness  the  burning  without 
being  seen  by  the  mourners.  The  corpse  is  placed 
between  dry  and  inflammable  logs  of  wood,  which  are 
confined  in  iron  ricks,  and  I  believe  the  torch  is  ap- 
plied by  some  friend  of  the  deceased.  I  saw  some 
mourners  sitting  near,  beating  drums  and  uttering 
lamentations  ;  but  not  fancying  either  the  sight  or 
odor,  I  did  not  tarry  long ;  but  I  was  told  that  all  that 
remained  after  cremation  was  gathered  up  and  cast 
into  the  sea,  as  in  like  manner  is  done  along  the 
shores  of  the  sacred  rivers  Jumma  and  Ganges. 

Among  the  most  interesting  places  that  I  have 
visited  in  the  city  have  been  the  stables  of  Arab  and 
Persian  horses.  My  friend,  Mr.  Clark,  is  an  admir- 
able judge  and  proved  an  excellent  guide,  as  he  is 
well  known  by  the  proprietors  of  the  best  stables. 
Those  of  Abdool  Rayman  are  but  a  short  walk  from 
the  Club,  and  contain  some  of  the  best  Arabians  in 
India.  He  has  "  Young  Revenge,"  a  beautiful  bay, 
who  has  won  more  races  than  any  horse  in  India. 
"The  Doctor,"  a  handsome  white  in  an  adjoining  box 


AA'AP/.t.Y  AND   PERSIAN  HORSES.  65 

stall,  has  sometimes  beaten  him.     There  were  about 
three  hundred    horses  in    these  stables,  and  among 
them  were  some  fifty  Persians — an  animal  not  as  much 
esteemed  as  the  Arab.     Another  morning  we  visited 
the  stables  of  Abdul  Rizak  Dobachell,  who  had  also 
a  fine  stud — I"  believe  about  four  hundred  Arabs  and 
Persians.     He   is   regarded  as  a  fair  dealer,  and  his 
stables  are  popular.     All  these   animals— as,  in  fact, 
everywhere  in  India — are  hobbled    with   long  ropes 
about  their  hind  hocks,  and  these  ropes  are  tied  to  a 
peg  some  feet  in  the  rear.     Their   halters,   or  head- 
stalls, are  also  attached  by  cords  to  pegs  on  each  side 
of  them,  and  the  animal  takes  his  hay   directly  from 
the  ground  or  floor  of  the  stall.     The  system  applies 
as  well  to  the  cavalry  service,  thus    dispensing   with 
the  picket  rope,  which  we  use   in  the    United  States 
Army.     I  notice,  with  animals  not  stabled  and  much 
exposed  to  the  sun,  the  headstall  is  provided   with  a 
fringe  which  falls  over  the  eyes  for  their   protection. 
Not  the  least  striking  feature  of  these  stable    scenes 
is  the  group  of  Arab  horse  dealers  that  one    usually 
finds  sitting  just  within  the   entrance    of  the  stables. 
We  were  invited  to  take  a  cup  of  coffee  with  them, 
which  I  found  excellent— being  made   from  the  true 
Mocha.    They  are  tall,  fine-looking  men,  with  rather 
Roman  features — prominent    noses — and  their  cos- 
tumes  of  rather    rich    colors  are   picturesque  ones. 
They  usually  have  two  or  three   Persian  or    Angora 
cats   with  them,  which  they  bring  from  their  homes 


66  HINDOO  AND  PARSEE. 

and  which  command  good  prices.  Puss  is  usually 
tied,  by  a  cord  about  her  neck,  to  a  post  and  seems 
to  be  used  to  it.  These  men  also  bring  over  some 
flat-tailed  sheep,  which  one  finds  roaming  about  the 
stables. 

While  upon  the  subject  of  animals  I  must  not  for- 
get the  Hindoo  bullocks,  which  are  used  by  the 
natives  before  their  odd-looking  vehicles.  These  are 
small  compact  animals  of  about  ten  hands  in  height, 
and  move  with  great  quickness — some  of  them  mak- 
ing as  good  time  as  the  ponies  of  the  country.  I'd 
like  to  describe,  also,  the  carriage  that  a  pair  of  these 
fellows  pull,  but  it's  rather  beyond  my  descriptive 
powers.  Nor  can  I  think  of  anything  on  Long 
Island  or  elsewhere  in  the  United  States  that  I  might 
liken  it  to.  I  can  simply  state  that  it  is  a  two- 
wheeled  affair  on  springs,  with  two  seats,  and  has  a 
round-shaped  body,  highly  ornamented  in  flaming 
colors,  with  a  top  and  white  curtains  to  protect  the 
occupants  from  the  sun.  The  driver  sits  astride  the 
tongue  and  urges  the  oullocks  forward  by  a  kick  or 
poke  of  his  foot  in  the  rear  and  a  twist  of  the  tail. 
A  pair  of  rope  reins  passes  over  the  head  and 
through  the  noses  of  the  animals,  and  with  these  he 
guides  them.  I've  not  taken  a  ride  in  this  style  of 
vehicle,  but  intend  to,  for  I've  taken  a  great  liking 
to  these  bullocks,  and  wish  to  ride  behind  them.  I'm 
sure  your  readers  would  have  been  amused  if  they 
could  have  been  on  the  road  with  me  this  afternoon 


BULLOCK  CARTS.  6 J 

and  seen  a  grocery  wagon,  not  unlike  one  of  Park  & 
Tilford's  very  finest,  drawn  by  a  pair  of  these  ani- 
mals ;  only  in  this  instance  the  wagon  was  marked 
"Kemp  &  Co.,  Limited,"  and  the  bullocks  were 
creamy  white,  large-sized  animals. 

I'd  like  to  tell  you  more  of  this  amusing  city,  but 
I  can't  spare  the  time,  as  I  must  make  preparations 
for  continuing  my  journey  toward  the  North. 
Through  the  kindness  of  Colonel  Upperton,  of  the 
Bengal  staff,  I  have  been  asked  to  take  a  seat  in  the 
special  train  which  leaves  for  Delhi  to-morrow 
night,  and  before  going  I've  lots  to  do,  including  a 
dinner  I  give  this  evening,  at  this  club,  to  a  few 
friends,  and  one  I  attend  at  the  Yacht  Club,  given  by 
Col.  Rivett  Carnac  to-morrow  night,  when  we  dance 
the  old  year  out  and  the  new  year  in.  I  shall  there 
meet  a  large  number  of  Bombay  residents.  Were  it 
not  for  the  heat  of  this  place,  I  should  be  sorry 
to  leave,  as  I  found  it  most  entertaining  and  have 
experienced  nothing  but  hospitality  from  the  mo- 
ment of  entering  the  city. 

"Ramah''  and  myself  continue  to  get  on  well  to- 
gether, and  I  feel  satisfied  I  shall  find  him  a  useful  ser- 
vant in  my  wanderings  about  India.  I  observed  that 
he  has  added  to  the  number  of  silver  rings  that  he 
first  wore,  so  I  imagine  he  has  invested  a  share  of  the 
advance  made  him  in  these  adornments.  I  rather 
think  however,  he  has  his  mind  upon  some  from  Delhi 
which  is  rather  famous  for  its  gold  and  silver  works. 


VIII. 
THE  CAMP  OF    EXERCISE. 

BYCULLA  CLUB, 

BOMBAY,  INDIA. 
Tuesday,  December,  jo,  1885. 

I  PROMISED  you  a  few  items,  from  some  point  in 
my  journey  to  the  East,  and  this  may  do  as  well  as 
any  other  for  a  commencement,  especially  as  I  can 
announce  the  arrival  of  the  officers  invited  to  attend 
the  grand  manoeuvres  of  the  Indian  Army,  or,  as  it 
is  more  frequently  called,  "The  Camp  of  Exercise;"  a 
term  which  appears  particularly  applicable,  for,  since 
the  1 5th  of  December,  the  two  forces  have  been  as- 
sembling about  Umballa  and  Delhi,  the  former  called 
the  Northern  and  the  latter  the  Southern  Force. 
A  course  of  drill  and  instruction  has  been  going  on 
ever  since — first,  under  their  brigade  commanders; 
second,  under  their  divisional  chiefs  ;  and  now  they 
are  manoeuvring  separately,  but  after  the  2d  of 
January  the  two  forces  are  to  engage  in  mimic  war- 
fare, gradually  approaching  each  other,  and   during 


/  'IS/  TING   OFFICERS. 


69 


the  last  ten  days  of  the  exercise  fighting  over  old 
historic  ground,  where  Ackbar,  the  Great  Mogul, 
gained  his  decisive  victories,  and  where  the  mutiny 
of  1857  was  stamped  out.  But  to  return;  the  officers, 
alluded  to  above,  came  in  on  the  Peninsular  and 
Oriental  steamer  Assam,  on  Monday,  and  are  all  in 
excellent  spirits.  They  were  at  once  taken  to 
Watson's  Hotel,  the  finest  in  the  city,  and  were  each 
assigned  a  servant,  who  will  continue  with  them  till 
the  close  of  their  military  visit;  some  have  Portu- 
guese and  others  ye  gentle  Hindoo,  but  all  speak 
sufficient  English  to  enable  them  to  come  and  go  and 
satisfy  the  wants  of  those  they  are  attending.  Colonel 
Lazelle  and  Captain  Mills  of  our  Service  by  dint  of 
close  appilcation  to  travel,  managed  to  reach  Suez  in 
time  to  join  those  from  Europe,  many  of  whom,  com- 
ing on  in  advance,  had  taken  in  Cairo  in  Egypt. 
From  Suez  all  have  been  under  the  care  and  kind 
protection  of  Colonel  J.  Upperton,  C.  B.,  of  the  Bengal 
Staff  Corps,  who  is  a  charming  man  and  a  most  ex- 
cellent fellow,  conversing  with  the  various  nationali- 
ties, he  is  thrown  with,  as  glibly  as  possible.  At  this 
point  he  is  joined  by  Captain  A.  L.  Montanaro,  also 
of  Bengal  Staff  and  likewise  an  excellent  linguist, 
who  seems  to  delight  in  doing  kind  and  agreeable 
things. 

There  has  been  a  round  of  dinners  and  lunches 
(tiffin)  provided  for  the  military  guests,  so  that  I 
imagine  few  have  tested  the  Watson  Hotel  fare.  The 


JO  THE    CAMP    OF  EXERCISE. 

first  night  they  dined  at   the  Yacht  Club,  a  capitally 
built  and  well  managed-institution,  located    directly 
on  the  harbor;  a  very  pleasant  feature  of  it   is  that 
ladies  are  admitted,  so  that  one  lunches  or  dines  in 
their  charming  company;  it  also  serves  as  a  capital 
point  to  meet  their  husbands  and  friends  and  take 
tea  after  the   business  hours  of  the  day,    and  then 
probably  off  for  a  drive,  as   it  is  only  in  the  cool  of 
the  early  morning  or  near  sun-set  that  such  open-air 
recreation  is  possible,  for  the  thermometer  has  marked 
8o°  to  900  much  of  the  time  I've  been    here — nearly 
ten  days.     Mr.   Farnham,  U.  S.  Consul,  entertained 
our  officers  and  a  few  friends  last  evening;  to-night 
Lieut.-General  Sir  R.  Phayre,  K.  C.  B.,  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  military   force   in   the  Bombay  Presi- 
dency, gives  all  the  accredited  officers  a  dinner;  and 
to-morrow  night  His  Excellency,  Lord   Reay,   Gov- 
ernor    of   Bombay     Presidency,     entertains    them ; 
immediately  after  which  they  take  a  special  train  of 
sleeping  carriages,  and  start  at  1  a.  m.  for  Delhi,  stop- 
ping one    day  at  Jeypore,  some  six   hundred  miles 
from  here,   for   rest  and    sight-seeing;  as  Jeypore  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  handsomest  cities  in  India,  and 
noted  for  its  superb  and  extensive  parks  and   flower- 
gardens.     In  addition  to  the  dinners  and  tiffins  there 
have  been  excursions  to  various  points,  such  as  visit- 
ing the  "Caves  of  Elephanta,"  "Towers  of  Silence," 
'Malabar  Hill,"  and  drives  along  the  sea-shore  and 
''Esplanade."     I've  not  heard  that  any  "Nautch  danc- 


POWERS  REPRESENTED.  J  I 

ing  parties  have  been  visited,  and  if  they  had  I  don't 
think  I'd  tell  who  were  there. 

All  the  important  Powers  of  Europe  are  repre- 
sented, in  this  collection  of  officers.  France  has  two 
representatives,  one  I  believe  a  Major  of  Artillery, 
the  other  a  Colonel  of  Cavalry.  Germany  has  a 
Major  and  a  Captain ;  the  former,  on  occasions  of 
ceremony  wears  an  immense  number  of  decorations, 
but  some  one  has  intimated  that  they  were  bestowed, 
mainly,  for  attending  grand  manoeuvres,  in  various 
parts  of  Europe,  rather  than  for  service  on  the  field 
of  battle.  Austria  is  represented  by  a  Colonel  of 
the  Hussars,  a  very  agreeable  gentleman,  and  a 
member  of  the  well-known  Esterhazy  family. 

Russia  has  two  officers,  one  a  Colonel  and  the 
other  a  Russian  Prince,  but  I  have  not  learned  the 
military  rank  of  the  latter. 

Italy  has  sent  two  officers  and  one  of  these,  a 
Brigadier-General,  is  the  senior  in  rank  of  the 
entire  group,  and  upon  him  devolves  much  of  the 
duty  of  replying  to  speeches  of  welcome  and  toasts 
at  dinners,  &c,  a  duty  that  he  modestly  performs 
and  I  believe  in  a  very  happy  manner;  while  he  speaks 
English  with  tolerable  fluency  his  remarks  are  usually 
made  in  French.  Those  from  our  Service  I've  alluded 
to  before,  one  a  Captain  of  Artillery,  and  the  other  a 
Lieutenant  Colonel  of  Infantry. 

The  India  Government  took  charge  of  these  officers 
from  the  time  of  their  arrival  at  Suez,  and  will  defray 


J  2  THE    CAMP    OF  EXERCISE. 

all  their  expenses,  up  to  date  of  their  leaving  the 
country,  including  their  return  passage  as  far  as  Suez. 
Nearly  all,  I  believe,  are  to  leave  India  shortly  after 
the  close  of  the  manoeuvres,  the  only  exception  that 
I've  heard  of,  being  Colonel  Esterhazy,  who  told  me 
he  expected  to  pass  the  summer  in  Kashmir  and  the 
following  winter  here  in  India. 

I  am  glad  that  I  am  able  to  say  that  I've  greatly 
enjoyed  my  ten  days'  stay  in  Bombay,  having  met 
with  an  unbounded  hospitality,  and  have  also  had  a 
share  in  the  entertainments  provided  for  the  military 
visitors  accredited  from  the  various  countries. 
Through  the  kindness  of  Colonel  Upperton  I  join 
the  special  train  provided,  and  will  have  agreeable 
and  congenial  companionship  en  route,  as  I've  found 
all  the  guests  most  delightful  men.  At  Delhi  I  am 
promised,  by  the  Military  Secretary  of  General  Rob- 
erts, a  tent, — probably  the  other  fixtures, — so  that 
there  is  a  good  prospect  of  my  seeing  the  manoeu- 
vres under  favorable  circumstances,  and  you  may 
hear  from  me  again  before  leaving  India. 

Northbrook  Hotel,  Delhi,  Jan.  8,  1886. — I  enclose 
the  military  scheme  relating  to  the  manoeuvres  now 
in  progress.  *  *  *  The  entire  force  is  now  some 
distance  from  this,  and  the  accredited  officers  (who 
have  a  flying  camp)  near  it.  They  are  to  return 
in  the  course  of  the  next  five  days,  which  time  I  pur- 
pose consuming  in  a  hurried  trip  to  Amritzer  and 
Lahore  ;  after  this  I  return  to  my  tent,  which  is  in 
the  head-quarters  camp. 


THE   MILITARY  PROBLEM.  73 

I  have  not  seen  any  thing  of  the  main  body  of 
troops.  *  *  The  few  native  organizations  that  I 
have  met  are  a  fine-looking  class — that  is,  as  na- 
tives go.  The  police  of  all  the  cities  visited  are  re- 
cruited from  the  Punjab,  have  good  physique,  and 
carry  themselves  well  ;  they  salute  all  Europeans,  as 
do  also  most  of  the  natives,  which  keeps  one  busy 
when  in  the  streets. 

Delhi  has  proved  rich  in  mosques  and  places  for- 
merly occupied  by  their  great  moguls,  but  the  great- 
est treat  is  still  in  store  in  the  Audience  Halls  and 
the  superb  tomb  of  "  Taj  Ma/ial,"  at  Agra,  which  I 
take  in  on  my  way  southward. 

The  following  is  the  military  scheme  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  manoeuvres  : 

'  The  Southern  Army  Corps,  numbering  about  16,000  men,  is  now  en- 
camped before  Delhi.  The  1st  and  2d  Divisions,  which  were  encamped 
at  Sultanpur  and  Gurgaon  respectively,  have  been  concentrated  with  the 
right  resting  on  Badlika-Serai,  facing  north,  awaiting  orders  to  move  for- 
ward on  the  4th  January  for  the  final  manoeuvres,  of  which  the  following 
is  the  '  problem  '  issued  from  Army  Headquarters  : 

Two  hostile  forces,   distant    100  miles,  are  set  in    movement    towards 
each  other  with  the  object  of  delivering  battle  as  soon  as  contact  occurs. 
Their  movements  are  restricted  to  the  following  daily  marches: 
For  cavalry  and  horse  artillery  ...  20  miles. 

For  infantry  and  field  artillery  .         .         .  15     " 

Collision  and  separation  of  the  forces  after  battle. 

Reinforcement  of  one  side  and  retirement  of  the  weaker  force  under 
pursuit. 

On  the  3d  January  a  field  force,  strength  as  follows:  2  infantry  divisions, 
2  cavalry  brigades,  10  batteries  artillery,  3  companies  sappers  and  miners 
(about  16,000  men) — is  encamped  along  the  line  Thol-Shahabad,  facing 
south,  its  base  at  Umballa.  Orders  are  received  to  march  for  Delhi  with 
the  idea  of  raising  the  seige  of  that  place,  then  in  progress. 


74  THE    CAMP    OF  EXERCISE. 

On  the  same  date  a  field  force,  strength  as  follows:  2  infantry  divisions, 
2  cavalry  brigades,  io  batteries  artillery,  3  companies  sappers  and  miners 
(about  16,000  men) — which  is  covering  the  siege  of  Delhi,  is  encamped 
along  the  line  Bahadurgah,  Badlika-Serai  facing  north,  when  information 
is  received  that  a  hostile  army  moving  south  has  passed  Umballa. 

The  commander  of  this  force  is  directed  to  march  northward  and  deliver 
battle  as  far  from  Delhi  as  may  be  possible. 

Operations  are  limited  to  the  east  by  the  line  of  the  river  Jumna;  no  re- 
striction is  placed  on  movements  westward. 

Operations  will  be  carried  on  daily  from  g  a.m.  to  3  p.m.,  when  the  halt 
will  be  sounded,  and  no  further  movement  will  take  place  till  9  o'clock  the 
following  morning,  by  which  hour  the  troops  will  be  in  position  on  the 
ground  occupied  by  them  at  3  o'clock  on  the  previous  afternoon. 

Outposts  will  be  thrown  out,  as  on  service,  after  the  halt  has  been 
sounded,  and  will  not  be  withdrawn  until  the  divisional  commanders  have 
satisfied  themselves  that  their  position  has  been  made  secure  from  sudden 
attack. 

It  is  desirable  that  troops  should  be  encamped  or  bivouacked  as  near  as 
possible  to  the  positions  occupied  by  them  at  the  close  of  each  day's  pro- 
ceedings, having  due  regard  to  the  position  of  the  supply  depots. 

Camps,  hospitals,  baggage,  transport  animals,  are  not  liable  to  capture. 

The  time  should  be  regulated  daily  by  the  Chief  Umpire's  watch. 

Infantry  will  not  be  conveyed  on  gun-limbers,  carts,  or  animals  during 
the  manoeuvres. 

These  manoeuvres  will,  no  doubt,  fully  test  the  marching  powers  of  both 
Army  corps,  as  well  as  their  organization  and  equipment. 


The  following  remarks  have  been  made  by  the 
Umpire-in-Chief  (General  Sir  Frederick  Roberts, 
Commander-in-Chief  in  India),  on  the  operations  of 
the  7th  January,  1886. 


'  The  lesson  we  have  learned  to-day  is  the  inutility  of  bodies  of  mounted 
troops  pushing  on  at  an  unusually  rapid  rate  without  some  very  distinct 
objective,  such  as  the  seizure  of  a  bridge  over  an  unfordable  river,  or  the 


THE    UM TIRE'S  CRITICISM.  J 5 

occupation  of  a  pass,  or  some  very  important  position  which  it  might  be 
capable  of  holding  until  reinforced  by  infantry. 

"  Under  such  circumstances  it  would  be  permissible  on  the  part  of  a 
commander  to  force  the  pace  even  at  the  risk  of  losing  a  certain  number  of 
horses,  but  when  no  such  objective  is  to  be  attained,  or  when  the  position 
is  one  which  can  be  avoided,  or  turned  by  any  enemy,  such  rapid  move- 
ment is  a  waste  of  power. 

"On  the  present  occasion  Brigadier-General  Marter  reached  Paniput  at 
an  early  hour  yesterday,  but  was  forced  to  retreat  this  afternoon  by  the 
cavalry  of  the  Southern  Force  supported  by  its  ist  Division  of  infantry. 

"  With  reference  to  this  day's  proceedings  the  following  points  call  for 
observation: 

"  The  Southern  Force. — Had  the  reconnaissance  in  force  whicji  Sir  C. 
Gough  originally  intended  to  make  on  Paniput  been  carried  out,  the  weak- 
ness of  the  enemy  would  probably  have  been  ascertained,  and  a  forward 
movement  would  have  obliged  Brigadier-General  Marter  to  retire. 

"For  want  of  this  information  the  commander  of  the  Southern  Force 
hesitated  to  attack  until  his  infantry  arrived,  while  his  cavalry,  consisting 
of  two"  brigades  with  12  guns,  was  kept  in  check  by  one  brigade  of  the 
Northern  Force  with  6  guns,  without  the  latter  having  any  material  advan- 
tage of  ground.  During  the  ?,%  hours  the  Southern  Cavalry  remained 
stationary  the  main  body  was  too  close  to  its  pickets,  and  was  kept  mounted 
unnecessarily;  moreover,  no  adequate  means  were  taken  to  guard  the 
flanks. 

'  The  action  of  the  cavalry  of  the  Southern  Force  was  slow,  and  showed 
a  want  of  dash  and  enterprise  throughout  the  day's  proceedings,  more 
especially  on  the  left;  if  this  portion  had  been  boldly  used  it  would  have 
seriously  harassed  the  retreating  enemy;  as  it  was  the  Northern  Cavalry 
were  allowed  to  retire  with  little  or  no  loss. 

"  No  attempt  apparently  was  made  to  scout  in  any  direction  either  be- 
yond the  canal  to  the  left  or  towards  the  Jumna  to  the  right;  scouts  well 
pushed  to  either  flank  would  have  inevitably  gained  miich  valuable  inform- 
ation and  might  possibly  have  enabled  the  Southern  Cavalry  to  advance  at 
an  earlier  hour,  and  to  throw  its  entire  strength  upon  the  communications 
of  the  Northern  Cavalry. 

"Owing  to  a  want  of  proper  scouting,  a  half  battery  of  E-A  Royal  Horse 
Artillery  came  into  action  within  easy  (700  yards)  range  of  a  well-posted 
body  of  dismounted  cavalry. 

"  The  march  of  the  divisional  artillery  and  infantry  was  well  timed  and 
the  attack  on  Paniput  well  directed. 

"  With  regard  to  the  advance  of  the  infantry,  however,  the  special  atten- 


J 6  THE    CAMP    OF  EXERCISE. 

tion  of  commanders  is  drawn  to  the  instructions  contained  in  Adjutant- 
General's  memorandum  issued  on  19th  ultimo,  which  point  out  that  during 
the  early  part  of  an  advance.no  more  men  should  be  brought  into  the  fight- 
ing line  than  are  actually  required  for  fighting  purposes.  This  order  was 
not  complied  with  in  the  formation  of  the  infantry  during  the  advance  on 
Paniput,  two  companies  (four  half-companies)  per  battalion  being  extended 
before  the  troops  came  under  any  fire  whatsoever.  At  that  stage  of  the 
advance,  only  sufficient  men  to  cover  the  front  of  each  battalion  should 
have  been  extended,  the  remainder  of  each  company  forming  supports, 
which  should  have  moved  in  such  formation  as  the  nature  of  the  ground 
might  admit  of,  the  main  object  being  to  keep  the  maximum  number  of 
men  as  long  as  possible  in  hand  in  a  close  formation  until  the  fire  of  the 
enemy  compels  the  attacking  line  to  be  strengthened. 

"  The  six  batteries  of  field  artillery  which  came  into  action  on  the  arrival 
of  the  1st  Division,  were  apparently  firing  at  an  indefinite  object,  a'nd  sub- 
sequently were  not  moved  forward  in  sufficient  time  to  prepare  the  way  for 
the  infantry,  whose  advance  they  were  supposed  to  be  covering. 

The  Northern  Force. — The  commander  of  the  cavalry  of  the  Northern 
Force  carried  out  effectually  the  difficult  task  assigned  to  him.  With  one 
brigade  of  cavalry  he  held  his  ground  and  compelled  the  enemy  to  develop 
his  attack  with  the  whole  of  his  cavalry,  six  batteries  of  field  artillery,  and 
one  infantry  division;  his  retirement  was  carried  out  in  good  order,  aided 
by  his  second  brigade  which  came  up  in  time  to  support  his  right. 

"  On  both  flanks  the  scouting  was  good,  and  the  action  of  small  parties 
pushed  forward  to  ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  the  enemy  was  effective. 

"  Several  parties  of  dismounted  cavalry  were  well  placed  and  did  good 
work,  notably  one  of  the  14th  Bengal  Cavalry  under  Major  Harenc. 

"The  guns  of  L-A  Royal  Horse  Artillery  were  judiciously  posted  in 
three  separate  divisions,  and  by  their  fire  materially  checked  the  advance 
of  the  Southern  Force. 

"  Three  guns  of  F-A  Royal  Horse  Artillery  had  to  be  put  out  of  action 
on  the  right  of  the  Northern  Force,  in  consequence  of  being  charged  by  a 
regiment  of  cavalry  who  came  upon  them  at  the  moment  their  escort  was 
dismounted  and  consequently  unable  to  act. 

"The  camp  of  the  cavalry  commander  of  the  Northern  Force  should 
have  been  struck  and  packed  ready  for  loading,  in  case  retirement  took 
place. 

"  Paniput  remains  in  possession  of  the  Southern  Force,  but  had  the  com- 
mander of  the  Northern  Force  been  aware  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  push 
his  infantry  in  movement  near  enough  to  support  his  cavalry  as  the 
Southern  commander  did,  to-day's  operations  might  possibly  have  had  a 
different  result." 


IX. 
BOMBAY  TO  DELHI. 

NORTHBROOK  HOTEL,   DELHI, 

LAT.   28   N.;  LONG.,   77  E.,   TEMP.   630. 

January  8th,   1S86. 

THE  ride  from  Bombay  to  this  place,  which  we 
reached  on  the  3d  inst.,  proved  a  very 
pleasant  one.  We  started,  as  was  proposed  in  my 
last,  from  Calaba  Station,  in  Bombay,  at  1.30  a.  m.  on 
the  first  day  of  the  year — after  witnessing  a  very 
pretty  dancing  party  at  the  Yacht  Club,  where  some 
of  the  best  people  of  the  city  had  assembled  ;  and 
after  seeing  the  old  year  out  and  the  new  year  in  — 
singing,  at  the  same  time,  "Auld  Lang  Syne," — we 
bade  good-bye  to  our  guests  and  went  to  the  station 
in  time  to  get  well  stowed  away  previous  to  the  hour 
of  starting.  Ample  accommodations  had  been  se- 
cured by  Colonel  Upperton,  English  Army,  and  each 
compartment  was  provided  with  the  necessary  re- 
freshments for  the  journey.  As  each  one  had  secured 
in  advance    a  pillow,    a  comforter  and  a   couple  of 


yS  BOMBAY    TO    DELHI. 

wraps  (all  of  which  articles  are  absolutely  necessary 
for  travel  in  India),  it  mattered  not  whither  we  went. 
We  had  our  beds  made  up  on  the  long  seats  with 
which  these  railway  carriages  are  provided.  As  the 
first  1 60  miles  were  made  at  night,  I  saw  nothing  of 
the  country  along  the  line — which  was  that  of  the 
Baroda,  Bombay  and  Central  India  Railway — but  I 
know  from  the  map  that  the  road  runs  near  the 
coast,  in  a  northerly  direction,  just  far  enough  to 
head  the  numerous  little  indentations  in  it,  and  that 
we  reached  Surat  at  8  a.  m.,  where  we  had  a  most 
comfortable  breakfast. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Surat  we  crossed  the  Tapti 
River,  a  very  large  stream.  At  this  season  the  water 
is  low  and  the  river  confined  to  a  narrow  channel, 
but  the  very  wide,  sandy,  bed  showed  what  a  huge 
stream  it  could  become  in  high  water.  It  reminded 
me  greatly  of  one  of  our  Western  streams.  At 
Broach  we  crossed  the  Nerbudda,  a  river  that  rises 
far  in  the  interior  of  India,  and,  I  was  told,  would 
become  in  a  few  years  a  sacred  one,  like  the  Jumna 
and  Ganges. ,  The  country  along  this  section  of  the 
line  indicated  that  it  was  cultivated  at  every  point, 
and  wTe  passed  numerous  fields  of  millet,  several 
large  ones  of  the  castor  bean,  and  very  extensive 
ones  of  winter  wheat,  now  some  five  or  six  inches 
high,  and  which  is  gathered  in  April ;  it  was  sown 
in  October  and  November.  Some  time  in  the  after- 
noon we  met  with  our  first  specimens  of  monkeys — 


IRRIGATION  IN  INDIA.  79 

along,  ring-tailed  species,  which  when  running  carry 
their  tails  in  the  air,  curved  almost  into  a  complete 
circle.  There  were  some  groups  of  ten  or  fifteen. 
We  also  saw  numerous  birds,  such  as  quail,  a  variety 
of  the  grouse,  and  doves   and  pigeons  innumerable. 

As  this  is  the  dry  season,  we  had  a  good  oppor- 
tunity of  observing  the  mode  of  irrigation,  the  water 
for  which  was  drawn  from  wells  either  by  the  old 
well  pole  process — one  man  to  each  pole — or  with 
bullocks,  which  pull  the  water  up  in  immense  skin  buck- 
ets, the  cord  passing  over  a  pulley,  two  sets  of  oxen 
being  used.  They  build  a  ramp  up  to  the  edge  of 
the  well,  down  which  the  animals  travel,  thus  giving 
them  the  full  power  of  their  weight  and  strength.  As 
soon  as  the  bucket  reaches  the  top  and  is  landed  on 
the  platform  they  are  unhitched  and  travel  around  by 
another  incline,  and  are  ready  for  the  next  bucket. 
The  water  is  poured  into  a  trough  and  thus  runs 
through  the  various  irrigating  ditches  prepared  for  it, 
and  thence  into  the  little  field — each  household  hav- 
ing about  four  acres  of  land  on  which  to  subsist,  and 
of  the  product  of  this,  I  was  told,  one-third  goes  to 
the  State.  Rather  heavy  taxation,  we  would  say; 
but  I  believe  it  has  been  the  rate  since  the  ereat 
mogul  kings  first  conquered  the  country.  The  land 
is  all  owned  by  the  Government,  and  the  farmers 
lease  from  it,  which  leases  are  renewed  from  time 
to  time. 

We    reached   Ahmedabad   at   4  p.m.,  where    we 


80  BOMB  A  Y    TO    DELHI. 

lunched.  It  is  quite  an  important  town,  and  has 
numerous  mosques.  It  is  also  the  headquarters  of 
the  Northern  division  of  the  Bombay  Army.  We 
arrived  at  Palanpore  at  8  p.  m.,  where  we  took  our 
New  Year's  dinner,  and  after  it  continued  our  route, 
passing,  about  1 1  p.  m.,  near  Mount  Aboo,  the  high- 
est elevation  in  our  journey — some  2,000  feet.  We 
reached  Ajmar  about  8  a.  m.,  where  we  were  taken 
in  charge  by  some  English  officers  and  driven  to  their 
snug  little  club  for  breakfast,  and  after  it  inspected 
one  of  the  summer  palaces  of  the  great  Ackbar,  chief 
of  the  Mogul  kings,  which  is  beautifully  situated  on 
the  borders  of  an  artificial  lake.  Sufficient  of  it 
remains  to  indicate  the  luxury  which  he  enjoyed,  and 
the  rich  decorations  of  the  marble  of  which  it  is  con- 
structed tell  that  he  employed  the  best  talent  of  his 
clay.  From  this  we  visited  the  palm  gardens,  but 
had  not  time  to  look  through  Mayo  College,  an  in- 
stitution for  the  education  of  sons  of  wealthy  natives, 
whose  minds  are  there  given  such  a  turn  as  will  be 
for  the  interest  of  the  State.  It  is  now  in  charge  of 
Major  Loch  of  the  English  service,  and  he  told 
me  that  the  number  of  pupils  was  increasing  and  the 
institution  flourishing. 

Ajmar  is  beautifully  situated,  being  in  a  pretty 
valley  surrounded  by  an  amphitheatre  of  mountains. 
I  was  greatly  taken  with  its  site  and  surroundings. 
As  time  pressed,  we  could  not  linger  as  long  as  we 
wished  in  this  attractive  spot,  but  were  driven   back 


THE    MAHARAJA'S  PALACE.  8 1 

to  the  station  and  resumed  our  journey — reaching 
Jeypoor  about  i  p.  m.,  where  we  lunched  and  at  once 
took  carriages  in  order  to  inspect  that  handsome 
town,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in  India.  It  is  a 
walled  city,  and,  driving  through  its  imposing  gate, 
we  came  first  to  the  School  of  Arts,  where  the  youth 
are  being  instructed  in  drawing,  modeling,  etc.  Their 
work  showed  considerable  proficiency,  and  in  the 
metal  working  department  we  purchased  several 
of  their  constructions. 

From  this  we  drove  to  the  palace  of  the  Maharaja 
there,  an  inspection  of  which  was  very  inter- 
esting, as  it  was  my  first  introduction  to  the  resi- 
dences of  these  native  princes.  He  is  one  of  the 
richest  of  them,  having  an  income  of  about  ^1,200,- 
000  ;  ^5oo,ooo  of  this  is  required  for  the  support  of 
his  Government,  and  the  remainder  he  has  for  his 
own  use  and  pleasure.  Rather  a  handsome  sum  to 
live  and  sport  upon.  His  palace,  however,  shows 
that  he  needs  large  funds,  as  it  covers,  with  the 
grounds  and  gardens,  an  extensive  area  and  can 
only  be  kept  up  with  a  large  force.  The  first  part 
of  the  palace  we  entered  was  painted  in  a  dark  pink, 
and  in  the  centre  of  the  court  was  the  audience  or  re- 
ception room  for  the  masses.  Passing  beyond  this, 
we  ascend  by  a  gently-sloped  ramp  into  the  recep- 
tion apartment  for  the  higher  classes  of  natives  and 
where  the  great  durbars  are  held.  The  throne  upon 
which  the  Prince  sits,  during  these   audiences,  is  of 


82  BOMBAY    TO  DELI/I. 

silver  and  gold,  and  the  guide  told  us  that  the  Euro- 
peans were  seated  on  one  side  and  the  natives  upon 
the  other.  We  also  ascended  the  tower  and  had 
some  fine  views  from  its  summit.  We  could  see  the 
apartments  of  his  wives,  but  were  not  asked  to 
enter. 

After  descending  from  the  tower,  we  inspected  the 
blue  palace,  which  we  reached  by  walking  through  a 
handsome  garden,  where  nearly  every  tropical  plant 
was  being  cultivated.  In  this  were  also  very  exten- 
sive arrangements  for  the  display,  on  festive  occasions, 
of  fountains  and  waterspouts.  The  entire  area,  I 
should  judge,  covers  about  forty  acres.  We  were 
next  shown  the  stables,  which  must  contain  some 
fifty  riding  animals  alone,  and  a  share  of  carriage 
horses  of  English  breeds.  The  hostlers  gave  us 
some  exhibitions  of  their  training,  showing  that  the 
Maharaja  employs  useful  men.  Leaving  the  stables, 
we  resumed  our  carriages  and  drove  to  Prince  Albert 
Hall,  which  contains  some  very  interesting  native 
work — most  of  which  is  to  be  sent  to  an  exhibition 
to  be  held  shortly  in  England.  We  also  drove 
through  the  gardens  and  saw  the  fine  tigers,  bears 
and  birds  which  form  its  zoological  collection. 

We  were  only  "choked  off  "from  further  sight- 
seeing by  the  coming  of  darkness,  which,  in  the 
tropics,  follows  almost  immediately  upon  the  setting 
of  the  sun  ;  and  driving  to  the  Kaiser-I-Hind  Hotel, 
found  an  excellent  dinner  awaiting  us,  after  which 


THE   GREAT  MOSQUE.  83 

we  returned  to  our  train,  which  started  at  midnight 
for  this  city — reaching  here  the  following  morning 
(2d)  at  10  a.  m.  We  were  driven  at  once  to  the 
headquarter-camp  of  General  Sir  Frederick  Roberts, 
the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Indian  Army,  whom 
we  found  most  genial  and  attractive.  At  the  dinner 
given  in  the  evening,  where  there  were  some  forty 
ladies  and  gentlemen  present,  all  made  up  from  the 
military,  he  gave  us  a  few  remarks — chiefly  to  wel- 
come the  officers  accredited  from  the  various  foreign 
Governments — which  were  exceedingly  happy,  and 
I  can  readily  understand  the  warm  attachment,  I 
hear  expressed  on  all  sides,  which  both  officers  and 
men  have  for  him. 

As  the  seat  of  the  great  Mogul  kings,  I've  found 
much  in  Delhi  to  interest  me.  They  have  left  be- 
hind them  many  mosques  and  audience  halls  that  are 
beautiful  in  design  and  rich  in  decoration.  The  Jam'i 
Masjid,  or  Great  Mosque  as  it  is  more  commonly 
known,  is  more  imposing  than  any  I've  ever  seen, 
those  at  Constantinople  not  excepted.  It  has  superb 
gateways,  and  it's  interior  court  (325  feet  square),  is 
capable  of  holding  10,000  men. 

The  external  appearance  of  this  superb  mosque  is 
very  striking.  It  is  built  mainly  of  red  sandstone 
and  upon  a  slightly  rocky  eminence,  and  approached 
an  three  sides  by  grand  flights  of  steps  that  lead  up 
to  its  imposing  gateways.  The  lowest  of  these  steps 
is  about    i5o  feet  in  length    and  they  diminish  as 


84  BOMB  A  Y    TO  DELHI. 

they  approach  the  top.  Its  gateways  are  40  feet 
high  and  surmounted  by  marble  domes.  The  mosque 
proper — or  place  of  worship,  has  three  large  marble 
domes.  The  minarets  of  the  mosque  rise  to  a  height 
of  130  feet,  and  contain  stairways  which  enable  one 
to  reach  the  top.  I  ascended  one  of  these  and  had 
a  splendid  view  of  the  City  of  Delhi.  It  is  said  that 
5,ooo  workmen  were  employed  for  six  years  in  the 
construction  of  this  work.  Near  one  of  the  gateways 
are  kept  the  sacred  relics  and  writings.  I  was  shown 
a  copy  of  the  Koran  written  in  Kufik  about  the  VII. 
Century  of  our  era,  a  slipper  of  the  Prophet  fil- 
led with  jasmine,  footprint  of  the  Prophet  imprinted 
on  a  stone,  and  a  hair  from  the  Prophet's  mustache.  A 
venerable  looking  priest  was  the  custodian,  and  his 
appearance  interested  me. 

The  Diwan-I-Khas,  or  "  Private  Hall  of  Aud- 
ience," where  the  King  received  his  highest  princes, 
is  a  beautiful  structure  of  white  marble,  ornamented 
with  gold  and  precious  stones,  and  a  nook  where 
one  delights  to  linger.  I've  already  passed  some 
hours  in  it  and  the  Moti  Masjid,  or  "Pearl  Mosque," 
and  always  left  them  with  regret.  The  latter  is  truly 
a  gem.  It  is  built  of  exquisitely  white  marble,  and 
when  you  enter  its  court  there  is  experienced  a  feel- 
ing of  purity  and  repose  I've  rarely  ever  felt  in  any 
other  structure.  You  simply  wish  to  sit  down  and 
admire  its  beautiful  proportions  and  examine  its 
chaste  decorations,  cut  in  relief,  for  there  is  no  inlaid 


"KUTOOB  MINAR."  85 

work.  It  appears  to  me  that  if  I  were  aresident  of 
this  city,  nothing  could  give  me  greater  pleasure 
than  a  daily  visit,  and  it  puzzles  me  how  a  people 
daily  accustomed  to  see  so  much  beauty  and  taste 
should  not  have  risen  above  the  level  they  now 
hold. 

I  have  named  what  to  me  appear  to  be  the  gems 
of  the  City,  but  there  are  many  other  mosques  and 
tombs  scattered  over  the  plains  of  Delhi — many  ot 
them  deserving  close  attention.  Eleven  miles  from 
this  is  the  Kutoob  Minar,  a  beautiful  tower  of  240 
feet,  built  of  a  combination  of  light  red  and  buff  sand- 
stone and  marble,  that  is  greatly  admired.  I'm  not 
sure  that  I've  ever  seen  a  finer  tower,  and  one  can 
with  pleasure  examine  its  minutest  details.  Murray, 
after  describing  it  at  great  length,  sums  up  by  giv- 
ing four  particular  points  as  constituting  its  chief 
attractions  :  First,  its  great  height ;  second,  the 
magnificent  bands  of  inscriptions  in  Arabic  that  en- 
circle it ;  the  next  point  is  its  flutings  and  the  fourth 
its  perfect  symmetry.  But  I  must  bring  this  letter 
to  a  close  as  it  is  getting  late  and  I  start  to-morrow 
on  a  hurried  trip  to  Amritzer  and  Lahore,  some  35o 
miles  to  the  north  of  this — returning  in  time,  I  trust 
to  witness  the  "  March  Past  "  on  the  19th. 


X. 

DELHI  TO  LAHORE. 

MONTGOMERY  HOTEL.   LAHORE,   EAST  INDIA, 

(about  lat.  310  30.  n.,  long.  750  45  E. 

TEMP.  AT  8  A.  M.,  55°.; 

January  ijth,  1886. 

SINCE  mailing  my  Delhi  letter  I've  traveled  to  this 
city,  some  35o  miles  further  towards  the  northern 
frontier  of  India,  and  the  limit  of  my  journey  in  this 
direction.  I  could  make  the  distance  from  this  to 
Peshawur — 300  miles  beyond,  and  what  may  now 
be  regarded  as  the  extreme  frontier  station  of  India, 
in  the  northeast — very  comfortably  indeed  ;  but,  as 
there  is  nothing  in  particular  to  be  gained,  and  no 
ancient  objects  of  interest  to  be  met  with,  I  shall  turn 
back  from  this  city — having  in  mind  the  fact  that  one 
who  contemplates  a  journey  around  the  world  must 
consider  what  is  before  him,  and  not  devote  too  much 
time  to  any  particular  country. 

The  city  of  Lahore  is  prettily  situated  near  the 
river  Ravee,  and  is  an  important  one  of  the  Punjab, 
distant  from  Bombay  1,238  miles,  and  in  time  J 2 
hours.     As  the  junction  of  the  Scinde,  Punjab  and 


INDIAN   RAILWAYS.  87 

Delhi  Railway,  with  the  Indus  Valley  and  Punjab 
Northern  State  Railway — the  entire  system  is  now 
known  as  the  Northwestern  Railway — its  import- 
ance, both  in  a  commercial  and  military  sense,  is  very 
great.  No  doubt,  in  case  of  collision  with  Russia,  this 
city  would  be  important  as  a  base  of  supplies. 

But  I  must  turn  back  a  little  and  tell  you  of  my  trip 
from  Delhi,  which  I  left  at  noon  on  the  9th.  We 
stopped  some  half  hour  at  Ghaziabad  (fifteen  miles 
from  Delhi)  for  lunch  or  tiffin— a  term,  by  the  by, 
more  in  general  use  in  India  than  lunch.  Ghaziabad 
is  quite  a  railway  centre,  and  here  the  line  from 
Delhi  joins  the  one  from  Calcutta,  and  on  starting  we 
found  the  number  in  our  compartment  increased  by 
two— one  of  whom  was  Dr.  Webb,  an  inspecting  sur- 
geon of  the  English  service.who  gave  much  valuable 
information  concerning  the  country  we  were  passing 
through. 

The  face  of  the  country  is  very  similar  to  that  pre- 
viously passed  over,  and  is  exceeding  flat  and  level. 
A  species  of  the  mimosa,  or  acacia  tree,  scattered  here 
and  there,  furnished  the  only  variety.  As  you  may 
imagine,  fuel  is  expensive,  and  you  naturally  ask 
whence  the  native  derives  his  supply.  This  is  ob- 
tained from  the  "  bois  de  vache,"  or  droppings  from 
cows  and  bullocks,  which  they  mix  with  cut  straw  and 
make  up  into  cakes,  this  they  plaster  on  the  side  of 
their  mud  huts  to  dry,  and  I'm  told  it  makes  very 
good  fuel.     I've  sometimes  used  the  same  on  the 


88  DELHI    TO    LAHORE. 

frontier  of  our  own  country — where,  as  droppings 
from  the  buffalo,  it  is  called  buffalo  chips,  and  have 
found  it  a  very  fair  substitute  for  wood. 

The  country  between  Ghaziabad  and  Saharunpore, 
where  we  stopped,  about  6  p.  m.,  for  dinner,  is  highly 
cultivated,  and  well  supplied  with  water  through  arti- 
ficial canals.  The  sugar  cane  is  extensively  grown, 
and  I  saw  many  fields  of  it  still  standing.  As  frosts 
are  rare,  I  presume  they  can  take  their  own  time  in 
gathering  the  crop.  The  stalk  was  small,  and,  com- 
pared with  cane  grown  in  Louisiana,  very  inferior. 
I  saw  no  sugar  works  along  the  line,  but  was  told 
that  each  planter  had  his  own  apparatus  for  crushing 
the  cane  and  boiling  the  juice  down  to  a  proper  con- 
sistency. 

We  awoke  on  the  morning  of  the  ioth  at  Umrit- 
zar,  an  interesting  point  on  the  line,  and  where  we 
left  the  train.  During  the  night  we  had  passed  Um- 
balla,  where  travelers  take  stages  for  Simla — distant 
a  day's  drive.  Those  intending  to  go  to  Mossoorie 
another  hill  station  and  sanitarium,  leave  the  line  at 
Saharunpore.  I  had  a  very  tempting  offer  from  Mr. 
H.  Vansittart,  a  barrister,  to  visit  him  at  Mossoo- 
rie, and  see  a  little  of  Indian  hill  life,  but  I  re- 
sisted, knowing  that  I  intended  to  make  an  excursion 
to  Darjeeling,  which  is  some  8,000  or  9,000  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  where  I'd  have  an  excellent  op- 
portunity of  seeing  the  Himalaya  Mountains. 

Simla  is  the  summer  resort  of  the  Viceroy  of  In- 


SIMLA  AND  AMRITZAR.  89 

dia,  and  the  chief  officers  of  the  Government  are 
transferred  to  that  point  during  the  hot  season. 
Most  extensive  and  substantial  public  offices  have 
been  erected  for  their  accommodation.  Just  fancy  the 
Government  at  Washington  transferred  for  the  sum- 
mer to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  you  can  form  an  idea  of 
the  distance  it  is  sent  from  the  actual  capital,  Cal- 
cutta— something  more  than  1,200  miles. 

Umritzar  (or  Amritzar),  derives  its  name  from  the 
Sanskrit  words  (a,)  (not,)  (mrit,)  (death,)  (zar,)  foun- 
tain signifying  "fountain  of  immortality."  The  great 
attraction  of  the  city  is  its  golden  temple.  It  is  not  a 
large  structure,  but  beautifully  situated  in  the  midst 
of  a  lake  of  pure  water.  Built  of  marble,  it  has  its 
upper  portion  covered  with  copper  gilt,  and  the  ef- 
fect is  very  fine,  particularly  when  the  sun  is  shining 
upon  it.  As  we  approached  the  borders  of  the  lake 
we  were  politely  asked  to  take  off  our  shoes  and  don 
a  pair  of  slippers,  which,  of  course,  we  did  ;  and  fol- 
lowing the  guide,  we  proceeded  along  the  marble 
border  of  the  lake,  to  a  massive  gateway,  which 
guards  the  entrance,  and  is  highly  decorated.  This 
gateway  has  on  one  of  its  side  posts  an  inscription 
announcing  that  many  years  since  (I  forget  the  date) 
a  thunderbolt  passed  through  the  temple  without  in- 
juring the  worshipers  or  doing  any  damage  to  the 
strcuure. 

Passing  through  the  gateway,  we  continued  over  a 
marble  causeway  to  the  temple  itself,  which  is  in  the 


go  DELHI    TO    LAHORE. 

centre  of  the  lake.  Entering  we  found  two  or  three 
jolly  looking  priests  sitting  behind  the  sacred  writings 
of  the  Sikhs,  which  are  contained  in  a  large  book 
called  "  The  Granth."  There  were  three  others  who 
were  performing  a  weird  kind  of  music  on  odd 
shaped  instruments.  Two  had  a  species  of  violin,  and 
the  other,  two  drums  upon  which  he  beat  the  time 
with  his  fingers.  A  number  of  devotees  were  sitting 
about,  saying  their  prayers  and  casting  votive  of- 
ferings on  a  sheet  in  the  front  of  the  priests,  in  return 
for  which  flowers,  that  been  under  the  holy  book, 
were  given  the  worshipers.  Some  were  given  to 
me  and  I  enclose  you  a  few  leaves.  They  will  be 
withered  by  the  time  they  reach  Long  Island  ;  still, 
they  may  have  a  charm.  My  servant,  Ramah,  being 
a  good  Hindoo  went  through  all  the  necessary 
duties  and  was  quite  lavish  with  his  copper  coins, 
which  he  distributed  among  the  priests  and  musicians. 
Many  of  the  inlaid  decorations  of  this  temple  (and 
most  of  the  lower  part  of  it  is  so  finished)  were 
brought  by  the  Sikhs  from  the  tomb  of  Iehangir,  at 
Shahdera,  near  Lahore. 

Amritzar  is  in  the  heart  of  the  Sikh  country,  and 
they  gave  the  English  more  trouble  to  subdue  than 
almost  any  other  tribe  in  the  Punjab  ;  but,  once 
subdued,  they  have  been  among  the  most  loyal  and 
devoted  of  her  Majesty's  subjects.  They  rendered 
excellent  service  to  the  British  during  the  mutiny  of 
1857-8.     They  have  fine  forms,  are  stalwart  and  en- 


SIKHS  AND   FAKIRS.  QI 

terprising,  and  scarcely  any  finer  specimens  of  the 
human  race  can  be  found  anywhere.  The  secret  of 
their  success  lies  in  their  great  endurance,  rapidity  of 
movement  and  the  slight  amount  of  food  they  carry 
when  making  long  marches.  I've  omitted  stating 
that  we  saw  along  the  borders  of  the  lake  the  sacred 
bull,  a  fine  slick-looking  specimen  of  the  Hindoo 
animal.  He  was  rubbing  himself  against  the  trunk 
of  a  tree  at  the  time  we  were  inspecting  him,  and  seem- 
ed entirely  satisfied  with  his  position — but  on  no  con- 
dition would  they  permit  us  to  touch  him. 

There  were  other  objects  of  interest  about  the 
lake,  that  attracted  our  attention.  Some  enterpris- 
ing merchants  were  plying  their  trades,  such  as  comb 
makers,  sellers  of  steel  ornaments,  writers  of  Sikh 
books  and  Fakirs.  The  latter  are  religious  enthu- 
siasts, who  devote  their  whole  lives  to  what  they 
deem  religious  service.  They  are  not  attractive 
looking  men,  with  their  half-naked  bodies,  long,  mat- 
ted hair,  which  is  never  combed,  and  their  heads 
and  faces  smeared  with  ashes.  Some  distort  their 
legs  or  arms  by  sitting  in  one  position  for  a  long 
period,  or  by  holding  the  arm  erect  in  the  air  until 
it  becomes  paralyzed.  They  often  add  to  this  by 
forcing  the  thumb  nail  into  the  palm  of  the  hand. 
Still,  they  are  received  by  even  the  higher  classes, 
and  you  sometimes  see  them  riding  about  in  the 
carriages  of  the  rich  Marajahs. 

The   bazaars   of  the  city  contain  large   stores   of 


92  DELHI   TO    LAHORE. 

goods  from  various  parts  of  the  world,  and  here  are 
manufactured  some  of  the  best  articles  to  be  found 
in  the  Punjab.  Of  course,  I  was  a  victim  to  these 
adroit  traders  who  are  about  as  persistent  in  their 
endeavors  to  dispose  of  their  wares  as  any  people 
I've  ever  met.  A  handsome  rug,  a  pair  of  Pulgarees 
a  large  ivory  cutter,  and  some  other  small  articles 
were  almost  forced  upon  me,  and  although  I  beat 
them  down  to  about  one-third  of  the  asking  price, 
yet  I  imagine  they  made  a  good  profit. 

We  found,  in  the  course  of  an  hour's  drive  about 
the  suburbs  of  the  city,  that  roses  and  various  flowers 
grow  well,  as,  also,  the  orange  and  lemon.  Some  of 
the  orange  groves  that  we  passed  were  the  largest 
I've  yet  met  with.  Handsome  bungalows  were 
located  near,  or  in  their  midst,  and  I  imagined  their 
occupants  had  about  as  much  comfort  as  anybody  in 
India;  for  they  have  rather  a  temperate  climate  and 
are  only  compelled  to  resort  to  the  hill  stations  dur- 
ing the  very  hottest  months — viz.,  from  July  to  Oc- 
tober. For  nearly  four  months  fires  are  requisite, 
and  the  ruddy  complexions  of  the  Europeans  we 
met  gave  evidence  that  they  were  not  sufferers  from 
the  heat. 

I  visited  the  carpet  and  rug  manufactory  of  one  of 
their  best  firms,  Davee,  Sahai,  Chumba,  Hull,  and 
saw  a  large  number  of  looms  in  operation.  All  the 
articles  here  were  hand-made,  and  they  employed 
some  three  hundred  or  four  hundred  workmen,  whom 


THE    XMERICAN CHRISTIAN MISSION.  93 

they  pay  at  a  rate  of  from  i5  to  35  cents  per  day  — 
depending  upon  the  skill  of  the  laborer.  We  would 
regard  such  wages  as  excessively  low,  but  when  it 
is  remembered  that  their  board  and  clothing  cost 
them  but  ten  cents  per  day,  it  will  be  seen  that  they 
are  fairly  well  paid. 

We  completed  our  sight-seeing  about  2  p.  m.,  and 
then  drove  to  the  railway  station,  where,  by-the-by, 
we  had  left  our  traps,  as  nearly  all  the  large  stations 
in  India  are  provided  with  cloak-rooms,  where  articles 
can  be  left  by  paying  six  cents  per  package  for  each 
day's  care.  We  then  ordered  a  comfortable  lunch, 
which  was  washed  down  with  very  good  Scotch 
whiskey  and  soda,  usually  styled  a  "peg,"  and  at  half 
past  three  p.  m.  left  for  this  city,  which  was  reached  in 
two  hours,  and  without  meeting  with  any  especial 
object  of  interest. 

From  one  of  the  minarets  of  a  tomb  at  Amritzar,. 
I  had  a  fine  view  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains,  so  that 
one  of  the  objects  of  my  visit  to  India  has  been  ac- 
complished. 

My  time  here  has  been  so  completely  occupied  by 
sight-seeing  that  I've  not  had  time  to  tell  you  of 
this  city,  which  is  highly  interesting  in  many  particu- 
lars. Shortly  after  reaching  it  I  was  called  upon  by 
the  Rev.  John  Newton,  of  the  American  Christian 
Mission,  who  gave  me  many  interesting  facts  con- 
cerning the  city  and  also  some  useful  hints  as  to  what 
objects  were  most  worth  seeing,  and  further  increased 


94  DELHI    TO  LAHORE. 

my  obligation  by  asking  me  to  dine  with  him,  which 
I  did,  in  company  with  Mrs.  Newton  and  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Formon  and  wife,  of  the  same  mission;  so  that  I 
had  not  only  a  comfortable,  home-like  dinner,  but  an 
agreeable  chat  about  home  and  home  life.  I  was  also 
invited  to  inspect  their  school,  which  is  large  and 
flourishing — native  boys  answering  questions  in  Eng- 
lish as  promptly  as  one  could  wish.  One  little  chap 
of  eleven,  who  gave  me  his  name  as  "Surjon  Dass, 
Nation  Sude,  from  Lahore,"  pointed  out  on  a  chart 
my  route  to  New  York  from  this  city  and  thence 
around  the  world — I,  of  course,  calling  off  the  points 
that  I  had  passed  and  expected  to  pass  in  the  course 
of  my  journey. 

Lahore  is  a  very  old  city,  and  was  noticed  both  by 
Chinese  and  Greek  travelers  of  an  early  date;  but  it 
was  not  until  some  time  in  i5oo  that  the  Moguls 
made  it  a  royal  residence,  and  embelished  it  with 
mosques,  palaces  and  gardens.  Its  domestic  archi- 
tecture was  also  greatly  improved,  and  there  now 
exists  in  the  old  portion  of  the  city,  some  as  fine 
specimens  and  as  picturesque  house  fronts  as  I've 
met  in  India. 

The  oriole  windows  and  carved  window  screens — 
the  latter  so  common  in  the  East,  and  designed  to 
permit  the  wives  of  the  owner  of  the  house  to  see  the 
outside  world  without  being  seen  themselves — are 
especially  noticeable.  Some  of  the  old  mosques,  now 
greatly  neglected,  show  rich  coloring  in  various  por- 


MAUSOLEUM  OF  RANJIT  SINGH.  g5 

tions,  and  although  very  old  their  freshness  is  thor- 
oughly maintained. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  attraction  to  me  was  the  old 
fort  of  Lahore,  which  contains  the  remains  of  a  hand- 
some palace,  a  very  large  mosque  and  a  handsome 
mausoleum  of  Ranjit  Singh — the  latter  a  mixture  of 
Hindoo  and  Mohammaden  architecture  ;  but  its  ef- 
fect is  striking.  In  the  centre,  and  immediately  under 
the  dome  is  a  raised  stone  platform,  on  which  are  the 
marble  urns  which  contain  the  ashes  of  himself,  his 
four  wives  and  seven  concubines — the  wives  and  con- 
cubines having  been  burned  alive  at  the  same  time 
that  his  body  underwent  cremation.  The  urns  are 
decorated  with  the  lotus  flower,  save  those  of  the 
concubines,  which  are  perfectly  plain.  The  urns  con- 
taining the  ashes  of  two  pigeons  that  flew  into  the 
flame  during  the  process  of  burning  the  bodies  are 
placed  on  the  border  of  the  collection.  Ranjit  Singh 
was  the  last  of  the  Mogul  Kings.  His  son  is  now 
living  in  England  on  a  handsome  pension  granted  by 
the  British  Government,  but  I  believe  he  is  anxious 
to  return,  and  I  recently  saw  that  his  extensive 
landed  property,  with  its  well-stocked  game  pre- 
serves, was  offered  for  sale.  Perhaps  he  has  been 
too  extravagant. 

It  was  in  this  city  that  the  famous  Koh-i-nur  ("moun- 
tain of  light ")  diamond  was  secured  to  the  Queen  of 
England.  Tradition  had  it  that  this  diamond  came 
originally  from   the  mines  of  Golconda,  and   as  far 


g6  DELHI    TO   LAHORE. 

back  as  from  3,000  to  5, 000  years  B.C.  It  being 
>at  first  in  the  hands  of  the  Hindoo  rulers  and  after- 
wards possessed  by  the  Musselmen.  Baba,  one  of  the 
earlier  of  the  Mogul  conquerors,  held  it.  After  that 
it  passed  through  various  hands  until  it  reached  Shah 
Sujah,  who  was  treacherously  imprisoned  while  on  a 
visit  to  Kashmir.  His  wife  visited  Ranjit  Singh,  at 
Lahore,  and  promised  the  diamond  on  condition  of 
his  securing  the  release  of  her  husband.  His  release 
was  finally  effected,  but  not  through  the  aid  of 
Ranjit.  He  went  by  invitation  to  Lahore,  where, 
through  persuasions  of  rather  a  harsh  character — 
such  as  having  a  guard  placed  about  his  person  and 
the  reduction  of  an  allowance  of  food — he  yielded 
it  to  Marahja  Singh.  On  the  conquest  of  the  Pun- 
jab it  was,  in  1 849,  given  to  the  English  and  shortly 
after  presented  to  the  Queen.  What  sort  of  per- 
suasions were  used  to  induce  the  holder  to  turn  it 
over  to  the  English,  history  does  not  record.  It  has 
been  held  at  fabulous  sums  by  the  various  possessors, 
but  I  believe  that  its  true  value  is  about  $1,000,000. 
I  have  from  Mr.  David  Ross  in  his  book  cal- 
led "  The  land  of  the  five  rivers  "  that  the  wife  of 
Shah  Sujah  estimated  its  value  in  the  following  novel 
manner.  "  According  to  what  she  had  heard  from 
her  ancestors,  its  value  is  equal  to  a  heap  of  precious 
stones  and  gold  mohurs  filling  a  space  marked  by 
five  stones,  each  thrown  on  four  sides  and  upwards 
by  a  strong  young  man.      Some  have  declared  even 


THE  KOH-I-NUR.  gj 

this  an  inadequate  estimate  ;  others  have  said  that 
its  value  is  equal  to  half  the  daily  income  of  the 
whole  world.  The  real  price  at  which  it  has  passed 
from  one  hand  to  another  is  the  submission  of  the 
weak  to  the  powerful.  That  purchased  it  for  the 
Saduzai  family,  and  that  transferred  it  at  last  into  the 
hands  of  the  Maharana. 

As  before  stated,  the  fort  at  Lahore  I  found  very 
interesting.  The  old  palace  within  its  walls  indicates 
that  the  royal  residence  was  a  handsome  one.  I  ex- 
amined several  of  its  apartments,  and  was  struck 
with  those  formerly  occupied  as  the  living  rooms,  the 
ceilings  being  of  various  colored  glass,  as  also  the 
walls.  The  grand  saloon,  of  glass  and  gold,musthave 
been  extremely  rich  in  early  days,  and  the  effect  at 
night,  when  lighted  with  numerous  lamps,  must  have 
been  brilliant. 

Among  the  excursions,  I  made,  was  one  to  the  tomb 
of  Jehangir,  some  five  miles  from  the  city  and  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Ravi  River.  The  tomb  with  its 
enclosure  still  covers  a  large  space,  and  both  its 
internal  and  external  decorations  indicate  that  a 
large  sum  was  expended  in  its  construction.  Many 
of  the  precious  stones  which  were  inlaid  in  the  walls 
have  been  carried  away,  but  there  are  still  traces 
of  great  beauty.  It  was  built  by  Nur  Jehan  ("  Light 
of  the  World  ") — also  called  Nur  Mahal — the  favorite 
wife  of  the  Emperor.  In  reaching  it  we  crossed 
the  river  on  a  bridge  of  boats,  the  first  I've  met  with. 


98  DELHI  TO  LAHORE. 

The  gardens  of  Lahore  are  both  extensive  and 
beautiful.  Those  named  in  honor  of  Lawrence  show 
great  care  and  have  some  rare  plants.  There  is  also 
a  very  respectable  zoological  collection  attached  to 
them.  In  the  museum  I  found  much  to  interest  me. 
There  are  complete  models  of  all  the  native  vehicles 
and  agricultural  implements  ;  also  correct  represen- 
tations of  the  natives  cultivating  the  fields,  and  good 
specimens  of  native  industries,  in  the  form  of  silks, 
cloths,  pottery,  etc.  In  front  of  the  museum  is  the 
famous  gun  Zamzama,  a  huge  piece  brought  from 
Kabul.  It  is  mounted  upon  a  strong  wooden  car- 
riage, heavily  bound  with  iron.  I  believe  the  natives 
are  greatly  attached  to  it. 

The  railway  workshops  are  very  extensive,  and 
the  company  has  provided  substantial  houses  for  its 
employees,  with  a  good  swimming  bath,  library,  bil- 
liard room,  theatre  and  recreation  grounds — all  for 
their  exclusive  use. 

I  turn  back  to-morrow  and  will  probably  reach 
Delhi  on  1 5th,  passing  over,  on  my  return  trip,  the 
same  line  I  came  by  ;  but  as  it  will  be  daylight,  over 
parts  of  the  country  that  the  upcoming  train  makes 
at  night,  I  shall  probably  find  something  new  and  in- 
teresting. I  shall  see  the  beds  of  the  large  rivers 
Beas  and  Sutlej,  both  comparatively  dry  at  this  sea- 
on,  but  indicating  from  their  wide  and  sandy  beds 
the  enormous  volumes  of  water  that  must  flow  down 
them  in  the  rainy  season  and  after  the  snows  in  the 
Himalaya  mountains  begin  melting. 


I 


XI. 

SOLDIERING  IN  INDIA. 

HEADQRS.    GEN.    SIR    F.    ROBERTS,   NEAR    DELHI, 

January  20th,  1 88b. 

REACHED  this  camp  on  the  i5th  inst.,  where, 
thanks  to  "The  Chief  and  his  military  secretary, 
Col.  Pole-Carew,  of  the  Coldstreams,  I  was  furnished 
with  a  most  comfortable  tent,  and  also  one  of  the  "A  " 
pattern  for  my  servant;  the  "  A  "  somewhat  larger 
than  that  used  in  our  Service — say  about  twelve  by 
fifteen  feet,  a  little  higher,  and  with  a  small  wall  of 
eighteen  inches,  and  lined  with  yellow  cotton  cloth. 
I  am  thus  particular,  as  it  is  the  identical  field-tent 
used  by  the  enlisted  men  of  the  Indian  army. 

Usually,  in  hot  weather,  this  has  the  addition  of  a 
"  fly,"  which  gives  an  air-space  between  it  and  the 
body  of  the  tent,  and  adds  to  its  coolness.  The  slight 
wall  when  raised,  admits  the  passage  of  a  current  of 
air.    The  cavalry  use  a  similar  tent,  but  about  double 


IOO  SOLDIERING  IN  INDIA. 

the  depth,  and  intended  for  a  great  number  of  men. 

As  for  my  own  canvas  home,  it  is  almost  palatial. 
Imagine  two  conical-roofed  tents  with  square  walls, 
one  within  the  other,  and  supported  by  a  single  pole 
through  the  centre,  the  interior  space  being  about 
twenty-four  feet  square;  walls  some  six  and  a  half  to> 
seven  feet  high,  the  outer  tent  walls  somewhat  higher 
and  separated  from  the  inner  by  a  space  of  three 
feet.  Each  tent  has  four  doors,  which  roll  up, and  an 
additional  protection  of  a  green  blind  made  of  light 
bamboo  ;  both  inner  and  outer  tents  being  lined  with 
colored  cotton  cloth,  generally  of  yellow  ground;  and 
agreeable  to  the  eyes. 

The  accredited  foreign  officers  have  still  larger 
tents,  mostly  hipped  roofs,  provided  with  fire-places, 
and  divided  by  canvas  partitions,  their  fronts  and  ap- 
proaches to  the  entrances  made  bright  and  cheerful 
by  pots  of  tropical  plants.  In  truth,  everything  has 
been  done  to  render  their  visit  agreeable,  and  no 
pains  spared  to  enable  them  to  have  a  thorough  in- 
sight of  the  material,  organization,  and  inner  working 
of  the  Indian  army. 

During  the  manoeuvres  they  were  provided  with 
a  flying  camp,  where  every  reasonable  comfort  was 
arranged.  In  truth,  I  believe  they  had  a  dinner 
party  nearly  every  night  while  in  the  field. 

Before  dismissing  the  subject  of  tents,  I  wish  to 
note  some  of  the  still  larger — as,  for  instance,  the  re- 
ception and  dining  tents  of  the  commander-in-chief. 


THE  FfEADQUARTEXS'  MESS.  IOI 

In  the  former,  at  an  evening  party  in  honor  of  the 
Viceroy,  Earl  Dufferin,  I  saw  some  two  hundred 
guests,  and  have  dined  with  General  Roberts  when 
there  were  at  least  forty  at  table.  The  headquarters' 
mess-tent,  which  was  at  my  service,  could  dine,  read- 
ily, forty- five.  English  officers  make  a  good  deal  of 
their  mess,  and  rarely  dine  save  in  the  prescribed 
uniform,  which  is  a  mess-jacket,  rather  elaborately 
embroidered  and  a  vest  that  is  richly  decorated. 

My  tent  is  but  a  few  yards  from  the  mess-tent, 
and  its  annex  the  reception  tent,  which  has  an  open 
wood-fire,  and  serves  as  an  excellent  lounging  place, 
when  not  more  profitably  employed.  1  was  invited 
to  join,  and  paid  the  regular  initiation  fee  of  five  ru- 
pees. Three  rather  luxurious  meals  are  served  each 
day  for  the  moderate  sum  of  five  rupees — about  $2.00. 
The  hours  as  established  are  :  Breakfast  from  8:30 
to  10  a.  m,  lunch  from  1  to  3  p.m.,  and  dinner  at  8 
p.  m.  Colonel  Keyser,  of  the  Royal  Fusiliers,  has 
undertaken  the  mess  duties,  and  is  a  most  genial  and 
popular  man,  as  also  an  intelligent  and  efficient  officer. 

Most  of  the  gentlemen,  I'm  here  thrown  with,  are 
of  considerable  rank,  and  have  been,  from  their  pe- 
culiar fitness,  selected  from  various  regiments  and 
sections  of  India  to  perform  duty  at  headquarters 
•during  the  "  Camp  of  Exercise," — such  as  umpires 
in  the  various  engagements  in  the  field,  signal 
services,  etc  ,  Colonel  Keyser  has  the  Signal  De- 
partment. 


1 02  SOLDIERING  IN  INDIA . 

But  to  return  to  the  rank  and  file  of  the  Service. 
The  native  troops  struck  me,  and  I  believe  our  accred- 
ited officers  are  equally  impressed,  as  beingfar  in  ad- 
vance of  what  was  looked  for,  the  Ghoorkas  and 
Sikhs  being  especially  noticeable — the  latter  from  their 
good  height,  fine  physique,  intelligence,  and  general 
fondness  for  the  Service.  They  were  among  the  last 
of  the  native  tribes  to  yield  to  British  rule,  but  have 
ever  since  been  the  most  loyal  of  Her  Majesty's 
Indian  subjects.  They  were  thoroughly  devoted 
during  the  Mutiny  of  i857,  and  did  good  service 
against  the  rebels.  Their  stronghold  is  about  Am- 
ritzar,  a  city  near  Lahore,  where  they  have  one  of 
their  most  sacred  temples,  known  as  the  Golden 
Temple.  The  Ghoorkas  come  from  Nipaul,  in  the 
Himalayas,  and  show  much  more  of  the  Mongolian 
type  of  feature.  They  are  rather  short,  but  a  natty- 
looking  set  of  men,  armed,  in  addition  to  their  rifle, 
with  a  large,  curved  sheath-knife,  which  is  worn  on 
the  belt.  They  are  said  to  be  unrelenting,  and  rarely 
spare  the  life  of  even  a  fallen  foe. 

Nipaul  is  an  independent  province  on  the  borders 
of  Oude,  but  I  understand  there  is  no  serious  ob- 
jection to  recruiting  for  the  English  Service. 

The  Guides  are  a  fine  body  of  cavalry,  the  men 
for  which  are  almost  entirely  recruited  on  the  north- 
ern and  northwestern  frontier.  The  Putans  also  fur- 
nish a  share  of  the  rank  and  file,  but  I  am  not  fully 
informed  as  to  their  native  district. 


EAST  TNDIAN  UNIFORMS.  103 

The  field  uniform  of  all  arms  of  the  Service  is 
made  of  a  material  called  karkee.  It  is  a  species  of 
American  duck  of  yellowish  clay  color,  and  consists 
of  a  jacket,  short  trousers,  and  a  pair  of  leggings  cal- 
led ''putties,"  a  roll  of  cloth  wound  around  the  leg 
in  a  spiral  form  from  the  ankle  to  the  knee,  in  a 
manner  similar  to  that  in  which  race  horses'  leg's  are 
bandaged. 

For  full  dress  the  native  as  well  as  the  European 
troops  wear  the  tunic  of  various  colors  and  of  differ- 
ent facings.  Red  is  still  the  prevailing  color,  but  in 
conversation  with  officers,  I  gathered  the  impression 
that  the  karkee  color,  or  drab,  is  the  one  which  many 
favor,  as  it  so  nearly  approaches  that  of  the  soil,  as 
to  make  the  soldiers  almost  indistinguishable  ;  and 
I  observed  that  when  in  the  field,  except  for  the  tur- 
ban which  the  natives  wear  at  all  times,  it  was 
difficult  to  discover  a  body  of  troops,  especially  if 
they  were  not  on  the  march.  The  European  soldier 
also  wears  his  'tope  or  sun-hat  with  the  karkee,  and 
is  less  observable  than  the  native.  The  Ghoorkas 
are  an  exception,  and  do  not  wear  the  turban,  but  in 
its  stead  a  species  of  skull-cap,  not  unlike  the  jaunty 
head  piece  of  the  English  soldier,  with  whom,  by-the- 
by,  he  fraternizes  more  than  any  other  of  the  native 
troops. 

He    drinks    whiskey    and  associates    more  freely  ■ 
with  "  Tommy  Atkins  "  than  any  other  native,  and  I 
have  heard  that  he  imitates  him  inw  the  use  of  strong 


104  SOLDIERING  IN  INDIA. 

language.  I  observed  that  the  Chief  had  him  as 
guard  in  front  of  his  and  the  tents  of  his  personal 
staff,  which  rather  argues  that  he  is  a  favorite  in  that 
quarter. 

The  method  of  pay  and  subsistence  of  the  native 
troops  forms  a  feature  of  the  Indian  Service  that  is 
worthy  of  notice.  The  cavalry  recruit  brings  with 
him  either  his  own  horse  or  two  hundred  rupees  (a 
rupee  is  supposed  to  be  worth  about  forty  cents,  but 
it  is  at  present  greatly  depreciated),  and  his  colonel 
prefers  the  rupees,  as  he  can  mount  the  man  on  a 
horse  of  government  selection,  generally  on  one  of 
the  animals  imported  from  New  South  Wales,  and 
usually  termed  "  walers."  Should  he  have  neither 
horse  nor  money,  the  two  hundred  rupees  are 
charged  against  him,  and  paid  off  in  monthly  instal- 
ments. His  monthly  pay  differs  in  the  different 
Presidencies, but  averages  about  twenty-eight  rupees. 
On  this  he  must  subsist  himself,  purchasing  his  food 
from  the  natives,  and,  as  he  rarely  eats  meat,  his 
wants  are  readily  satisfied.  He  must  also  pay  for 
the  services  of  a  grass-cutter,  as  one  grass-cutter  is 
allowed  to  two  horses,  and  he  also  pays  the  grain 
contractor  for  the  necessary  short  forage  required  for 
his  horse. 

The  infantryman's  pay  averages  about  seven  rupees 
per  month,  on  which  he  must  subsist  himself  and 
provide  his  own  cooks.  Even  the  rough  quarters  of 
a  cantonment  for  the  native  troops   is  paid  for  from 


AN  ELEPHANT  BATTERY.  105 

the  soldiers  allowance,  and  as  garrisons  are  changed 
they  are  appraised,  and  the  incoming  troops  re- 
quired to  take  them  at  valuation.  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  native  gives  far  less  trouble  than  "  Tommy 
Atkins,"  as  the  European  soldier  is  usually  styled.  I 
was  induced  to  ask  how  the  latter  got  his  cognomen, 
so  generally  in  use.  and  learned  that  it  came  from  the 
printed  forms  used  in  the  English  Service  being 
signed  "  T.  Atkins."  There  is  a  certain  allowance 
of  clothing  made  to  all  native  troops  on  enlist- 
ment, which  is  afterward  kept  from  their  pay. 

One  of  the  features  of  this  command,  that  is  espe- 
cially striking  to  an  American,  is  its  elephant  battery 
of  heavy  guns,  which  I  took  the  pains  to  examine 
quite  minutely  There  were  really  two  kinds  of 
draught,  the  elephant  and  the  bullock,  there  being 
eighteen  of  the  former  and  three  hundred  of  the  lat- 
ter. The  wheel-elephant  is  placed  in  a  pair  of  wide 
shafts,  and  has  a  very  large,  heavy,  and  strong 
saddle,  not  unlike  a  huge  cart-saddle.  This  is  at- 
tached by  a  heavy  leathern  band  and  iron  chains  to 
the  shafts.  He  has  also  a  strong  breast-strap  and 
breeching.  The  lead  elephant  is  hitched  in  a  similar 
manner  to  that  in  which  the  lead  horse  in  a  tandem 
team  would  be.  The  bullocks  accompany  the  battery 
not  only  for  draught  purposes,  for  which  they  use 
from  four  to  six  yokes  to  each  gun,  but  because  they 
are  indispensible  in  time  of  action,  as  the  elephant 
will  not  stand  fire.      He,  realizing  the  danger,  would 


106  SOLDIERING  IN  INDIA. 

be  liable  to  stampede  the  guns,  and  hence  is  detached 
when  the  enemy  is  near,  and  bullocks  yoked  in- 
There  were  some  superb  specimens  of  the  latter  at- 
tached to  the  battery.  There  were  also  two  or  three 
mountain  batteries,  in  which  the  guns  and  parts  of 
carriages  were  on  the  oacks  of  mules.  I  did  not  see 
any  very  fine  specimens  of  the  latter,  and  don't  think 
there  are  any,  particularly  when  viewed  from  an 
American  standpoint,  as  I  believe  we  have  the  finest 
mules  in  the  world.  Both  the  horse-and  field-artil- 
ery  looked  well,  and  the  batteries  are  in  the  hands 
of  efficient  and  intelligent  commanders.  Since  the 
Mutiny  of  1 857  none  but  Europeans  have  been  used 
for  this  service. 

Not  the  least  interesting  or  noticeable  feature  of 
this  Indian  Service,  is  the  great  attention  given  to 
manly  sports  and  exercises.  Every  opportunity  is 
furnished  for  the  development  of  physique  and  for 
acquiring  skill  in  the  amusements,  in  which  the  most 
daring  and  probably  the  most  popular  is  tent-peg- 
ging. This  consists  in  riding  at  full  tilt  and  taking, 
with  the  lance  a  rather  short  and  broad  tent-peg  from 
the  ground  ;  and  you  may  be  a  little  surprised  when 
I  tell  you  that  Gen.  Roberts  led  off  in  this  sport,  and 
with  his  team  of  four  made  the  best  score  of  the 
season.  There  were  numerous  other  mounted  and 
foot  sports,  such  as  lance  against  sword,  sword 
against  bayonet,  sword  against  sword,  bayonet 
against   bayonet,  tent-pegging  with    sword,   cutting 


THE  MARCH  PAST.  107 

lemons  with  sword,  tug  of  war,  foot  racing,  and  ac- 
robatic and  gymnastic  feats,  and  also  pony  and 
camel  races. 

The  latter,  while  very  novel,  did  not  develop  any 
very  great  speed,  and  I  hardly  think,  at  any  time 
in  the  course,  exceeded  more  than  eight  miles  per 
hour;  thus  disposing  of  the  repeated  assertion  of  the 
novelist,  who  frequently  likens  the  fleetness  of  the 
camel  to  that  of  the  wind. 

The  "march  past"  of  the  entire  force,  some  35,000, 
closed  the  Camp  of  Exercise.  It  was  done  in  the 
midst  of  a  pouring  rain.  By  the  time  the  cavalry 
and  horse,  and  foot,  artillery  had  passed  the  review- 
ing point,  the  dark  soil  had  been  churned  into  the 
consistency  of  a  bed  of  thin  mortar,  and  when  the 
native  infantry  came  by,  many  of  whom  wore  only 
the  slipper,  there  was  a  sad  loss  of  this  rather  neces- 
sary appendage  of  the  foot  soldier,  and  I  rather  think 
this  test  may  bring  about  a  change.  All  troops, 
native  as  well  as  European,  marched  by  with  great 
precision,  and  the  line  and  dress  of  the  double  compan- 
ies— we  style  them  divisions — were  admirably  ob- 
served. 

As  the  elephant  battery  passed,  the  know- 
ing animals  raised  their  trunks  and  saluted,  for  which 
purpose  they  folded  the  trunk  into  the  form  of 
the  letter  S,  holding  it  square  to  the  front. 

The  appearance  of  the  ground,  in  and  about  the 
slight    mound     where    the    reviewing     officer    was 


I08  SOLDIER  I XG  IN  INDIA. 

posted,  calls  for  some  attention,  as  it  was  made 
up  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  from  those 
who  were  in  the  handsome  four-in-hand  with 
native  out-riders,  to  the  humble  peasant  who 
had  trudged  out  five  miles  to  see  the  grand 
parade.  There  were  all  sorts  of  mounts,  but  chiefly 
noticeable  were  the  camels  and  elephants.  I  count- 
ed seventy-five  of  the  latter,  many  richly  caparisoned 
and  provided  with  howdahs  for  carrying  the  families 
of  chiefs.  The  sight  was  truly  Eastern,  as  all  the 
natives  were  in  holiday  attire,  and  the  gaudy  colors 
of  their  dresses  made  the  assembly  all  the  more  pictur- 
esque. 

I  was  a  little  disappointed  in  the  number  of  im- 
portant native  chiefs,  Maharaja  Scindia,  Raja  of 
Gwalior,  Maharaja  of  Kutch  Behar,  Maharaja  of 
Jodhpur,  Maharaja  of  Ulwar,  Maharaja  of  Nadir, 
being  all  of  any  great  importance  that  I  heard  of  as 
being  on  the  ground.  The  native  contingents,  how- 
ever, were  out  in  considerable  force,  and,  although 
the  last  to  march  past,  made  a  very  respectable  ap- 
pearance. 

Although  the  Camp  of  Exercise  virtually  closed 
with  the  review  and  "march  past"  given  to  the  Vice- 
roy on  the  19th,  yet  the  troops  remained  in  camp  for 
the  purpose  of  drying  their  equipments  and  uniforms 
and  also  to  take  part  in  the  various  sports.  The 
accredited  officers  take  their  departure  to-morrow 
night,  and  are  to  wind  up  their  visit  by  sight-seeing 


/ HE   I  'It  'ERO  V'S  TRIB I '  TE.  1 09 

in  various  parts  of  India,  at  government  expense. 
I  think  they  must  be  pleased  with  their  reception,  as 
everything  possible  has  been  done  to  render  their 
stay  agreeable.  I  enclose  the  speech  of  the  Vice- 
roy welcoming  them  to  India,  which  strikes  me    as 

particularly  happy. 

******* 

"Again,  on  the  other  side  are  two  officers  whose 
presence  here  is  as  grateful  to  my  feelings  as  that  of 
any  of  their  colleagues,  inasmuch  as  they  represent 
the  Army  of  the  United  States,  a  country  which  I 
had  often  occasion  to  visit  when  Governor-General 
of  Canada,  and  whose  border  I  never  passed  without 
experiencing  at  the  hands  of  its  inhabitants  such  an 
amount  of  kindness  and  hospitality  as  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  me  to  forget." 

****** 

Before  closing  I  wish  to  add  my  testimony  to  the 
personal  magnetism  of  General  Roberts,  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief. I  listened  to  the  brief  and  extem- 
poraneous dinner  speech  welcoming  the  foreign  offi- 
cers, and  it  seemed  so  happy,  so  easily  delivered, 
and  so  telling,  that  I  regretted  seeing  him  sit  down. 
He  is  known  among  the  troops  as  "  Our  Bobs,"  and 
I  can  readily  understand  how  it  is  that  I  hear  from 
every  quarter  that  they  are  greatly  attached  and 
ready  to  go  wherever  he  leads. 

Previous  to  dismissing  the  subject  of  the  Camp  of 
Exercise  I  wish    to   bear  testimony  to  the  universal 


IIO  ,  SOLDIERING  IN  INDIA. 

kindness  and  hospitality  that  I  enjoyed  from  every 
one  I  was  thrown  in  contact  with,  but  I  desire,  par- 
ticularly, to  thank  Brigr.  General  Luck  and  Colonel 
Heyland,  First  Bengal  Lancers,  both  of  whom  were 
most  kind  and  attentive. 

I  leave  this  camp  to-morrow  afternoon  for  Agra 
and  other  points  further  to  the  eastward,  and  it's 
possible,  if  I  find  anything  that  I  think  may  interest 
you,  you  may  hear  from  me  again.     ***** 


XII. 

DPXHI  TO  AGRA. 

LAURIE'S    HOTEL.   AGRA,  TEMP.   IN    SHADE,  62°. 
January  2jth,   1SS6, 

REALISING  that  there  would  be  a  crowd  at  the 
railway  station,  I  left  camp  quite  early  in  the 
morning  of  the  21st,  and  arrived  some  two  hours  in 
advance  of  the  starting  of  the  train  from  Delhi,  but  it 
was  only  by  the  best  of  good  luck  that  I  got  my  bag- 
gage weighed  and  was  able  to  get  aboard  the  train. 
Such  utter  confusion  and  want  of  system  I've  rarely 
ever  witnessed.  It  seemed  to  demonstrate  that  native 
employees,  while  working  in  a  regular  routine,  are 
equal  to  the  task,  but  the  moment  they  are  unusually 
pressed,  by  heavy  traffic,  they  break  down  com- 
pletely. This  is  not  the  only  complaint.  I've  heard 
that  several  others  expressed  themselves  more  de- 
cidedly and  in  more  forcible  language  than  I  have 
given.  However,  I  did  get  away  and,  although  a 
little  late,  reached  this  hotel  after  a  pleasant  journey 


I  12  DELHI   TO  AGRA. 

of  some  six  hours,  early  in  the  evening,  and  I  am 
most  comfortably  lodged.  It  is  one  of  the  best  inns 
I've  yet  found  in   India. 

And  now,  where  and  how  shall  I  begin  to  describe 
the  many  and  highly  interesting  objects  of  this  city 
— the  seat  of  Moslem  architecture  during  the  best 
building  period  of  the  great  Mogul  kings  ?  It  was 
some  twenty  miles  from  this  city,  at  Futhepoor  Sikri 
that  the  great  Ackbar  began  his  first  permanent  resi- 
dence— selecting  for  the  site  a  commanding  ridge, 
which  he  enclosed  with  a  strong  wall,  flanked  by 
towers  and  pierced  for  musketry.  The  remains, 
still  standing,  indicate  the  immense  labor  that  was 
performed.  In  this  stronghold  were  placed  the  sa- 
cred mosque,  the  residence  of  his  favorite  wives  and 
his  own  palace,  with  its  adjuncts  of  baths,  etc.,  and 
stables  for  horses,  camels  and  elephants,  together 
with  an  immense  palace  for  his  guests. 

All  the  buildings  are  of  permanent  material — be- 
ing either  of  marble  or  red  sandstone — quarries  of 
the  latter  abounding  a  few  miles  from  Futhepoor. 
The  residences  of  his  wives  are  interesting  places  to 
visit,  showing  that,  in  spite  of  his  Moslem  faith,  he 
was  sufficiently  liberal  to  think  that  there  were  other 
creeds  that  he  could  accept,  and  that  he  permitted 
his  Hindoo  wife  to  practice  her  religion  is  evidenced 
from  the  character  of  her  home,  which  displays  not 
only  the  Hindoo  architecture  in  various  forms,  but 
has  numerous  shrines  devoted  to  Hindoo  gods. 


THE  LIONS  OF  AGRA.  I  I  3. 

The  home  of  Mariam,  or  Marie  Begam,  his  Chris- 
tian wife,  is  a  small  house  of   red  sandstone,   rather 
simple  in  its  style,  and  devoid  of  ornamentation,  ex- 
cept some  frescoes,  now  much  defaced,  showing  that 
the  subjects  were  taken  from  the  Scriptures.     She  is 
said  to  have  been  a  Portuguese,  which   is    not  at  all 
improbable,  as  they  were  residents  in  the  country  at 
an  early  period.     Whether  this  tradition    be  correct 
or  not,  I  must  acknowledge  to  have  greatly   enjoyed 
there  the  lunch  we  took  with  us  from  Agra,  as  the 
building  is  now  used  as  a  place  of  refreshment,  and 
our  servants  spread  the  table  in  what  is  now  called, 
"  Mariam's  House." 

One  of  the  most  interesting  relics  of  the  past  is  the 
shrine  of  Shekh  Salim  Chisti.a  faithful  priest  of  Ack- 
bar's  reign,  and  who,  tradition  relates,  furnished  a  son 
and  heir  to  the  throne  in  the  person  of  Jahangir.  The 
tomb  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  Oriental  work  in 
pure  white  marble,  and  the  marble  screen  which  en- 
closes the  sarcophagus  is  one  of  the  finest  specimens 
of  the  kind  to  be  found  in  India.  The  number  of 
geometrical  figures  of  which  it  is  composed,  is  mar- 
velous, and  it  would  require  hours  to  work  them  all 
out,  so  completely  do  they  run  into  each  other. 
The  brackets  which  support  the  projecting  roof  of 
this  shrine  are  particularly  noticeable — being  similar 
in  style  to  those  over  the  entrances  to  many  of  the 
Hindoo  temples  I've  seen.  Visitors  to  the  exhib- 
ition in  London,  to  be  held,  I  believe    in  April,  will 


I  14  DELHI   TO  AGRA. 

see  some  excellent  specimens  of  them,  as  I  saw  them 
being  packed  at  the  studios  of  the  best  sculptors  in 
Agra. 

Our  guide,  through  the  remains  of  the  royal  resi- 
dence of  Futhepoor  Sikri  was  a  bright  looking  lad  of 
fourteen,  whom  his  grandfather  introduced  to  us  as 
a  direct  descendant  of  some  royal  blood  that  I'll  not 
attempt  to  record.  He  was  ready  with  his  tongue, 
and  when  I  asked  him  for  his  name  he  wrote  it  out 
correctly,  thus,  "Walyooddeen"  and  he  further  in- 
sisted upon  taking  us  to  the  school  where  he  had  ac- 
quired his  English,  and  we  were  detained  some  time 
in  listening  to  the  boy's  reading.  As  a  bit  of  family 
news  he  stated  that  "he  had  been  married  one  month 
but  would  not  see  his  wife  'till  next  year,"  so  little 
have  the  youth  of  the  country  to  say  in  reference  to 
their  first  marriage. 

We  passed,  on  our  return  to  Agra,  a  most  gor- 
geous wedding  procession,  made  up  of  friends  and 
relatives  on  foot,  in  carriages  and  in  bullock  carts. 
There  was  also  an  attempt  at  a  band,  in  which 
the  native  drum,  a  barrel  shaped  affair,  on 
which  the  drummer  made  much  noise,  played 
a  prominent  part.  Two  or  three  gorgeous  imita- 
tions of  elephants  were  also  borne  in  the  pro- 
cession. We  stopped  and  asked  to  see  the  groom, 
who  was  brought  in  the  arms  of  an  old  man.  The 
child's  apparel — for  he  was  not  more  than  six  or 
seven   years    old — was   very    gaudy,    and    his  neck 


TOMB  (>/■  ACKBAR  THE  GREA  /'.  I  1  D 

and  arms  were  covered  with  silver  jewelry, 
which  I  handled  and  admired.  This  attention  the 
child  evidently  enjoyed.  The  bride  was  in  a  closed 
palanquin,  and  we  did  not  see  her,  but  I  was  told 
that  she  was  even  younger.  This  is  called,  I  be- 
lieve the  first  marriage  (we  would  style  it  betrothal), 
but  I  understand  the  marriage  is  not  consummated 
until  the  girl  is  twelve  and  the  boy  is  fourteen  years 
•of  age. 

The  tomb  of  Ackbar  the  Great  is  located  at  Sikan- 
darah,  some  four  or  five  miles  from  Agra.  To  this 
we  devoted  a  special  pilgrimage,  and  were  well 
repaid.  The  mausoleum  occupies  the  centre  of  a 
large  garden,  which  is  enclosed  with  a  heavy  wall. 
I  liked  exceedingly  the  appearance  of  the  grounds 
which  are  dotted  over  with  fine,  large  trees,  with 
here  and  there  some  bright-colored  climbing  plant 
like  the  Bouqainvillea  and  honey-suckle  to  give  life 
to  the  scene.  The  space  enclosed  must  cover  sev- 
eral acres.  Its  walks  are  overgrown,  but  some  of 
the  roads  are  well  kept  up.  You  enter  this  through 
a  massive  gateway  of  red  sandstone,  on  which  are 
inscriptions  taken  from  the  Koran.  It  is  of  great 
height,  and  the  views  from  its  upper  platform  are 
very  fine  and  comprehensive.  At  each  angle  rises 
a  marble  minaret  of  two  stories.  Two  of  them 
have  their  upper  stories  knocked  off.  I  believe  this 
vandalism  is  charged  to  the  Jats.  Who  they  were, 
or  now  are,  I  don't  at  present  know.     The  mauso- 


u6 


DELHI   TO    AGRA. 


leum  itself  is  an  imposing  building  of  red  sandstone 
and  of  several  stories.  In  a  gloomy  vault  beneath 
lies  all  that  remains  of  this  great  leader  and  ruler- 
Ascending  the  building  to  the  fourth  platform,  you 
reach  the  white  marble  corridor  which  enclosed  the 
cenotaph  of  Ackbar.  It  is  a  beautiful  block  of  white 
marble,  totally  unadorned  or  uninscribed,  for  his 
works  and  deeds  needed  no  recording  ;  they  spoke 
for  themselves.  The  outside  lattice  work  (in  marble) 
of  the  corridor  is  exquisitely  done,  and  the  squares  of 
which  it  is  made  up  are  each  of  a  different  pattern. 
We  lingered  a  long  time  at  this  elevation,  viewing 
Jumna,  the  fort  at  Agra,  and  the  Taj  Mahal,  in 
the  distance,  and  the  scene  was  a  beautiful  one. 

Having  given  some  account  of  the  interesting 
objects,  in  the  suburbs  of  Agra  I  must  attempt  to 
tell  you  of  the  attractions  of  the  city  itself.. 

So  much  of  beauty  and  so  much  of  interest  centres 
in  and  about  .Agra  that  it  is  difficult  to  decide  at 
what  point  to  begin  describing  what  is  to  be  seen. 
Perhaps  the  best  plan  is  to  follow  the  order  in  which 
I  saw  it  myself,  be  it  right  or  wrong. 

Murray  recommends  the  traveler  to  see  the  Taj, 
Mahal  (or  Taj,  as  it  is  more  frequently  called)  as 
often  as  possible  during  his  stay,  and  this  plan  I 
followed — going  there  immediately  after  my  arrival 
in  this  city,  and  by  the  road  constructed  during  the 
famine  of  1838.  By  this  route  you  come  directly 
upon    this    beautiful    mausoleum    without    catching 


f~*«s. 


THE    TAJ  MAHAL.  I  if 

glimpses  here  and  there.  At  least,  that  was  my  ex- 
perience. I  entered  the  grand  south  gate — and  here 
I  must  stop  a  moment  and  admire  this  beautiful  work 
of  red  sandstone,  some  140  feet  high  by  110  wide, 
and  having  its  inner  face  inlaid  with  ornaments  and 
inscriptions  from  the  Koran,  and  the  under  side  of 
its  large  dome  covered  with  geometrical  figures  in 
white  marble.  It  is  certainly  a  most  fitting  entrance 
to  the  superb  structure  beyond,  and  were  it  not 
placed  so  near  the  latter  would  receive  far  greater 
attention.  Passing  through  this,  I  came  suddenly 
into  a  beautiful  garden,  with  the  Taj  immediately  in 
front  of  me,  as  it  is  at  the  end  of  a  broad  avenue, 
having  a  pretty  lake  in  the  middle  portion  and  rich 
tropical  foliage  on  either  border.  I  involuntarily- 
stopped  and  for  many  moments  could  do  nothing 
more  than  admire  this  pearly  white  mausoleum  so 
admirably  placed,  and  so  aided  by  its  surroundings 
as  to  give  me  the  most  beautiful  impressions  ever 
made  by  any  work  of  man.  I  saw  it  repeatedly  after- 
ward— by  moonlight,  when  its  interior  was  illumin- 
ated, and  from  every  possible  point — but  from  none 
did  it  please  so  well  as  when  viewed  from  the  great 
south  gate.  In  my  haste  to  tell  my  impressions  of 
this  superb  work — the  most  beautiful  in  India  and 
possibly  in  the  world.  I  have  failed  to  give  its  origin 
or  enumerate  some  of  its  proportions.  The  work  is 
a  labor  of  love  and  affection,  and  was  built  by  Shah 
Jahan,  the  fifth  in  the  order  of  succession, of  the  great 


I  iS  DELHI     TO   AGRA. 

Mogul  kings,  who  reigned  from  1627  to  f658,  as  a 
tomb  for  his  favorite  Queen,  Mumtaz  Mahal,  which 
freely  translated,  means  "Pride  of  the  Palace."  There 
is  a  love  story  in  connection  with  this  marriage,  which 
can  be  appropriately  introduced  here: 

It  seems  that  in  early  life  Shah  Jahan  fell  desper- 
ately in  love  with  Mumtaz,  but  from  reasons  of  state 
was  forbidden  to  marry  her,  and  another  bride  was 
selected  for  him.  After  ascending  the  throne  he 
again  sought  her  out,  and,  finding  her  a  widow,  re- 
newed his  devotion  and  speedily  made  her  Queen — - 
and  she  was  truly  a  Queen  and  helpmate.  So  much 
did  he  realize  this  that  he  directed  her  image  to  be 
stamped  on  the  coin  of  the  realm  alongside  his  own, 
and  consulted  her  in  all  important  State  affairs.  The 
following  description  is  condensed  from  Ferguson, 
and  will  give  the  reader  an  admirable  and  correct 
idea  of  its  proportions  : 

"  The  enclosure  includes  an  inner  and  outer  court,  the  entire  width 
of  which  is  about  one  fifth  of  a  mile,  and  extends  along  the  banks  of  the- 
Jumna  River  some  500  yards.  The  mausoleum  stands  above  the  level  of 
the  eye,  on  a  double  terrace — the  first  of  red  sandstone  twenty  feet  high 
and  a  thousand  broad,  at  the  extremities  of  which  stand  two  mosques,  of 
some  dark  stone,  facing  each  other  ;  midway  between  rises  the  second 
terrace  of  marble,  fifteen  feet  high  and  three  hundred  feet  square,  on  the 
corners  of  which  are  four  round,  tapering  minarets.  In  the  centre  of  all 
stands  the  Taj,  of  pure  white  marble,  its  large  central  dome  rising  nearly 
200  feet  above  the  pavement  below.  The  mausoleum  is  a  square  of  186 
feet,  with  its  corners  cut  off.  Four  smaller  marble  domes  rise  about  these 
truncated  angles.  The  tombs  of  Shah  Jahan  and  Mumtaz  Mahall  lie  im- 
mediately beneath  the  central  dome, and  are  surrounded  by  an  exquisite  mar- 
ble screen,  made  up  of  geometrical  figures.  The  tombs  are  inlaid  with 
some  rare  stones  arranged  in  floral  designs,  and  have  escaped  almost  en- 
tirely the  ravages  which  one  finds  in  the  royal  tombs  elsewhere  in  India."" 


THE  PEARL  MOSQUE.  I  I  9 

I  hope  Fve  conveyed  some  idea  of  this  beautiful 
work  ;  if  not,  all  I  can  say  to  your  readers  is,  that  if 
they  have  the  leisure  and  wish  to  pass  a  winter  away 
from  the  frosts  and  snows  of  our  latitude,  they  should 
take  a  ticket  for  India,  and  I'm  sure  they  would  get 
their  reward. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  the  Fort  of  Agra,  which 
contained  the  royal  residence,  or  palace,  the  private 
and  public  audience  halls,  the  family  mosque  and 
several  private  mosques  ;  the  treasury,  etc.  It  is  a 
strong  work,  with  its  walls  and  flanking  defenses  of 
red  sandstone.  It  has  an  imposing  effect,  its  walls 
being  70  feet  high,  pierced  for  musketry  at  most 
points,  and  its  projecting  portions  arranged  for  artill- 
ery. The  ditch  is  thirty  feet  wide,  and  opposite  the 
main  entrance  is  a  most  formidable  and  well-propor- 
tioned work  of  red  sandstone  that  would  have  made 
the  storming  of  the  fort  almost  a  hopeless  task. 

One  of  the  first  objects  of  our  visit  was  "  The 
Moti  Masjid,"  or  "  Pearl  Mosque,"  an  account  of 
which  I  take  from  Bayard  Taylor,  whose  great  en- 
thusiasm, added  to  his  superb  command  of  language, 
well  fitted  him  to  give  the  following  glowing  descrip- 
tion : 

'  This  is  the  Moti  Masjid,  or  Pearl  Mosque,  as  it  is  poetically  termed. 
It  is  in  truth  the  pearl  of  all  mosques — of  small  dimensions,  but  absolutely 
perfect  in  style  and  proportion.  It  is  lifted  on  a  lofty  sandstone  platform, 
and  from  without  nothing  can  be  seen  but  its  three  domes  of  white  marble 
and  gilded  spires.  In  all  distant  views  of  the  fort  these  domes  are  seen 
like  silvery  bubbles  which  have  rested  a  moment  on  its  walls,  and  which 
the  next  breeze  will  sweep  away.    Ascending  a  long  flight  of  steps,  a  heavv 


I  20  DELHI    TO   AGRA. 

door  was  opened  for  me,  and  I  stood  in  the  court  yard  of  the  mosque,  on 
its  eastern  side,  and  the  pure  blue  of  the  sky  overhead.  The  three  domes 
crown  a  corridor  and  open  towards  the  court,  and  are  divided  in  three 
aisles  by  a  triple  row  of  the  most  exquisitely  proportioned  Saracenic  arches. 
The  Moti  Masjid  can  be  compared  to  no  other  edifice  that  I  have  ever 
seen.  To  my  eye  it  is  absolutely  perfect.  While  its  architecture  is  the 
purest  Saracenic,  which  some  suppose  cannot  exist  without  an  ornament, 
it  has  he  severe  simplicity  of  Doric  art.  It  has,  in  fact,  nothing  which 
can  properly  be  called  ornament.  It  is  a  sanctuary  so  pure  and  stainless, 
revealing  so  exalted  a  spirit  of  worship,  that  I  felt  humbled,  as  a  Christian, 
to  think  that  our  noble  religion  has  never  inspired  its  architects  to  surpass 
this  temple  to  God  and  Mahomed.*' 

In  spite  of  all  he  has  said,  it  did  not  impress  me  as 
did  the  Pearl  Mosque  at  Delhi.  Perhaps  that  was 
my  fault,  or  perhaps  because  one  can't  repeat  so 
often  the  sense  of  the  beautiful,  especially  when  the 
first  impression  has  been  so  vivid. 

The  Diwanji  Khas,  or  private  audincee  hall,  is  one 
of  the  gems  of  the  fort.       It  was  here  that  the  Em- 
peror gave  audience  to  his  chief  princes.     Composed 
of  white  marble,  it  has   some   fine  carving,  and  the 
columns   supporting  the  Saracenic  arches,  are  deco- 
rated   with  floral  designs  of  inlaid  marble  and  prec 
ious  stones,  the  red  carnelion  being  conspicuous.  The 
view  from  the  terrace  in  front  of  it  is  one  of  the  fin- 
est about  Agra,  and  takes  in  the  River  Jumna,  which 
runs  close  to  the  base  of  the  fort  wall,  the  residence 
and  garden   across  the  river,  including   a  glimpse  of 
the   beautiful   tomb,  in   white  marble,  of  I'timadu  'd 
daulah,  and  down  the  stream,  about  a  mile  away,  the 
superb  Taj.     I  made  frequent  visits   to  the  fort,  but 
never  failed  to  mount  this  terrace,  especially  at  sun- 


AX  EAST  INDIAN  PRISON.  121 

set,  when  the  scene  from  it  was  sometimes  gorgeous. 
I  usually  met  there,  and  also  at  the  Taj,  Mrs.  Taylor, 
wife  of  an  English  Colonel,  who  was  filling  her  port- 
folio with  choice  bits  of  Aera's  best  works. 

There  are  many  other  points  of  interest  about  this 
old  city,  but  I  can't  enumerate  them  all. 

A  morning  visit  to  the  Agra  jail  was  an  interesting 
one.  There  are  some  i,5oo  inmates  at  present — 
about  1,000  less  than  usual.  Great  neatness  was 
displayed  in  every  portion,  and  I  should  judge 
from  their  healthy  appearance,  that  the  prisoners 
were  well  cared  for.  The  looms  where  the 
famous  Agra  carpets  are  made  were  especially 
interesting.  These  carpets  are  all  hand  made,  and 
are  of  heavy  texture.  Each  loom  has  its  "reader," 
who  sings  out  the  colors  from  a  pattern  before  him. 
These  readers  were  uunsually  bright-looking  lads  of 
12  to  14  years.  Most  of  the  looms  were  engaged  in 
making  carpets  for  the  Indian  exhibit,  to  be  held  in 
London  this  Spring.  Of  the  foreign  houses  that 
patronize  this  establishment  I  observed  that  the 
Magazin  du  Louvre,  at  Paris,  was  the  heaviest  pur- 
chaser. 

I  leave  Agra  with  regret,  and  with  the  feeling 
that  there  are  many  beauties  that  I  have  not  fully 
looked  into,  but  possibly  this  may  be  for  good  and 
the  means  of  tempting  me  back  to  India,  for  it  is  the 
Mecca  of  this  Eastern  land,  which  all  travelers  even- 
tually reach,  as  about  it  centers  more  and  richer  speci- 


122  DELHI    TO   AGRA. 

mens  of  Moslem  architecture  during  its  best  period 
than  in  any  other  portion  of  India. 

Before  closing  my  letter  I  think  it  but  fair  to 
enumerate  the  great  Mogul  kings  and  give  the 
date  of  their  control  of  this  portion  of  India: 

Baber  reigned  from  1 526  to  1530;  Humayun  from 
1530  to  1 556;  Ackbar  from  1 556  to  i6o5;  Jehangir 
from  i6o5  to  1627;  Shah  Jehan  from  1627  to  i658; 
Aurungzeb  from  i658  to  1707. 

The  greatest  builder — the  one  who  displayed  the 
highest  and  most  delicate   taste — was  Shah  Jehan. 

A  comparison  of  these  dates  with  those  of  the 
most  active  rulers  of  Western  Europe,  such  as  Henry 
VIII.  and  Queen  Elizabeth,  of  England,  Francis  I.. 
and  Charles  V.,  of  Continental  Europe,  shows  that 
while  the  latter  were  making  history  in  their  respect- 
ive lands  the  Moslem  Kings  of  India  were  not  idle. 


XIII. 

AGRA  TO   BENARES. 

clark's  hotel, 

ll'U.V     HINDOO     CITY    OF    BENARES, 
January  j/st,  1886. 

COMING  directly  from  Agra  to  this  old  city 
does  not  add  either  to  its  beauty  or  attractive- 
ness, as  the  traveler,  who  has  found  so  much  of  grace 
and  beauty  in  the  works  of  the  Mogul  kings,  feels 
rather  disappointed  at  the  stiff  and  contracted  style 
of  the  Hindoo  temples.  The  very  best  I've  seen 
consist  only  of  an  outer  court  of  rather  narrow  di- 
mensions, with  the  main  building  in  the  centre,  and 
rising  from  it  is  the  pyramidal-shaped  tower,  which 
is  always  the  chief  feature.  The  exterior  of  this 
tower  is  usually  elaborately  decorated  with  a  variety 
of  images,  among  which  are  all  sorts  of  animals,  such 
as  the  elephant,  cow,  monkey,  etc.,  and  also  a  num- 
ber of  human  figures.  I've  never  attempted  to  mas- 
ter their  mythology  hence  I  am  supremely  ignorant 
of  the  meaning  of  all  these,  and  only  know  that  they 
enter  into,  or  are  a  part  of,  their  religion. 


124  A  GR.  I    TO  BENARES. 

The  Golden  Temple  at  Amritzar  is  an  exception 
to  the  above  rather  disparaging  comments,  but  it  is 
so  beautifully  placed — being  in  the  centre  of  a  pretty 
lake,  bordered  by  a  marble  pavement— and  of  a  style 
of  architecture  so  strongly  resembling  the  Moslem, 
that  I  at  first  mistook  it  for  a  Mahommedan  edifice, 
so  that  I  hardly  class  it  among  the  Hindoo  works. 

Still,  I  am  glad  to  be  here,  and  can  recall  that  as  a 
boy,  while  studying  the  map  of  India,  that  Benares 
had  a  mysterious  attraction  that  I've  not  forgotten. 
The  East  India  Railway  line  does  not  bring  you  di- 
rectly to  the  city,  but  one  changes  at  a  station  about 
half  a  hourfrom  this,  and  voucome  down  bv  a  branch 
road — crossing  the  Ganges  on  a  bridge  of  boats.  You 
have  still  a  drive  of  four  miles  before  reaching  this 
very  comfortable  hotel — one  of  the  very  best  I've 
met  with.  There  is  a  home,  cottage-like  look  about 
it  that  indicates  both  comfort  and  neatness.  All  the 
archways  to  the  various  apartments  are  draped  with 
morning  glories,  and  the  entire  grounds  or  space  with- 
in the  enclosure  (here  called  compound)  are  kept  scru- 
pulously neat  and  clean,  and  Mrs.  Clark's  flower  gar- 
den, although  limited  in  extent, can  boast  many  very 
handsome  and  choice  roses.  The  interior  of  the  hotel 
is  alike  cozy  and  home-like,  and  as  an  English  lady 
remarked  to  me :  ''  It's  quite  like  a  nice  country 
hotel  at  home." 

One  of  my  first  visits  was  to  the  Durga  Temple — 
generally  called  by  Europeans  the  "  Monkey  Tern- 


THE  MONKEY    TEMPLE.  125 

pie. "  On  our  way  to  it  we  passed  the  "  Car  of  Jur- 
ganaut,  "  an  immense  affair  on  some  dozen  or  more 
wheels  A  large  platform,  with  a  canopy  above  it, 
forms  the  upper  portion  of  the  car,  which  I  presume 
the  idols  occupied  in  the  course  of  the  procession.  I 
believe  this  car  is  still  used  in  some  of  their  ceremo- 
nies, but  it  is  scrupulously  guarded  by  the  police  to 
prevent  fanatics  from  throwing  themselves  under  the 
wheels. 

As  we  neared  the  Monkey  Temple  I  stopped  the 
carriage  at  a  fruit  stand  and  purchased  some  sweets 
and  fruits  to  give  the  monkeys.  These  creatures  ap- 
proached us  slyly  and  grabbed  our  offerings  in  a  most 
animal-like  way,  and  then  ran  off  to  devour  them. 

The  temple  is  surrounded  by  a  number  of  large 
trees,  in  the  hollows  of  which  the  monkeys  live.  This 
temple,  which  is  stained  red  with  ochre,  stands  in 
the  centre  of  a  quadrangle,  and  near  the  entrance  is 
a  band  stand,  where  the  priests  beat  a  large  drum 
three  times  each  day.  A  sacrificial  stone,  also  near 
the  entrance,  had  its  upper  part  and  base  covered 
with  blood,  showing  that  some  animal  had  recently 
been  offered  up  to  propitiate  the  gods. 

The  number  of  temples  in  this  city  is  enormous, 
and  they  are  met  with  at  nearly  every  turn,  and  new 
ones  are  in  course  of  erection.  I  visited  two  or  three 
more  —such  as  the  "Golden  Temple"  and  "Cow  Tem- 
ple," and  then  gave  up  the  job.  In  the  latter  I  found  a 
number  of  Hindoo  cows,   which  are  regarded  as  sa- 


i 


126  AGRA    TO  BENARES. 

cred.     They  looked  fat  and  sleek,  and  were  chew- 
ing their  cuds  like  ordinary  animals  of  their  class. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  mornings  that  I've 
passed  was  on  the  river  Ganges  at  the  early  hour  of 
7  a.  m  ,  when  the  residents  and  pilgrims  are  engaged 
in  bathing  and  saying  their  prayers.  Surgeon  Genl. 
and  Mrs.  Webb,  English  Army,  kindly  invited  me  to 
join  their  party  for  this  excursion.  Starting  well  up 
the  river,  we  floated  down  stream,  past  the  various 
palaces  and  ghats,  (or  steps)  in  front  of  them,  where 
there  were  large  numbers  of  bathers,  and  also  past 
the  burning  ghat,  where  the  bodies  are  cremated. 
The  process  was  not  in  operation,  but  a  body  on  a 
bier  was  brought  down  and  placed  in  the  Ganges 
while  awaiting  the  preparation  of  the  funeral  pile. 
The  pilgrims  to  whom  I've  alluded  form  a  very  large 
element  in  the  population  of  the  city,  and  one  en- 
counters them  everywhere  in  the  streets — usually 
accompanied  by  bearers,  who  carry  two  earthen  jars 
at  the  end  of  a  bamboo  pole — one  containing  the 
ashes  of  some  deceased  relative,  whichis  to  be  cast 
into  the  sacred  river  and  the  other  designed  to  carry  a 
away  supply  of  the  holy  water  from  the  Ganges.  An- 
other and  noticeable  feature  of  our  morning's  visit  to 
the  river  was  the  number  of  priests  that  we  saw  along 
the  river  bank,  seated  upon  raised  platforms  and  ex- 
pounding in  Hindustani  passages  from  the  Sanskrit. 
Their  audiences  were  chiefly  made  up  of  women, 
who  were  squatting  in  front  of  them. 


THE  GANGES.  I  2/ 

We  stopped  near  one  of  the  assemblages  and 
watched  for  some  time  the  speaker,  who  was  round 
both  in  face  and  figure.  His  gesticulations  and  facial 
expressions  were  marked.  I  was  disposed  to  think 
them  comical,  and  we  fancied  that  on  our  approach 
he  raised  his  voice  and  directed  his  explanations  at  us 
unbelievers,  but  I  regret  to  say  that  his  eloquence 
was  entirely  lost  on  me.  I  believe  Mrs.  Webb,  who 
has  been  some  years  in  the  country,  was  able  to 
understand  some  of  his  remarks.  As  we  were  return- 
ing to  our  carriage  a  priest,  with  his  little  pots  of 
colored  earth  and  the  stamps  with  which  the  good 
Hindoo  has  his  forehead  marked,  stopped  us  and 
asked  us  to  witness  the  operation  of  marking,  which 
we  did.  He  then  asked  for  backshish,  but  as  Mrs. 
B.  expressed  a  wish  to  possess  these  stamps,  in  place 
of  backshish  I  gave  him  a  small  sum  and  carried 
away  the  sacred  seals.  As  these  marks  denote  the 
caste  of  the  wearer,  I  should  go  into  a  further  expla- 
nation of  their  meaning,  but.  I  respectfully  decline — 
it  being  a  subject  beyond  my  comprehension. 
Various  explanations  have  been  given  by  different 
writers  as  to  the  origin  of  caste  and  its  meanings,  but 
beyond  knowing  that  it  indicates  various  grades  in 
social  life,  I  positively  can  tell  nothing.  I  recall  that 
shortly  after  my  arrival  at  the  Byculla  Club,  at  Bom- 
bay, I  asked  a  most  intelligent  member  if  he  had  in 
any  way  mastered  the  subject  of  caste,  and  his  reply 
was;     "I've    been    now    more   than   thirty  years  in 


]28  AGRA    TO  BENARES. 

the  country,  and  know    scarcely  anything   of  it." 

I  don't  think  I've  alluded  in  any  previous  letters  to 
the  social  status  of  women,  and  may  as  well  introduce 
the  subject  here.  Nothing  is  more  striking  than  the 
entire  exclusion  of  women  from  all  vocations  which 
are  likely  to  bring  her  in  contact  with  strangers  or 
others  than  members  of  her  own  family.  One  never 
meets  them  in  the  hotels,  private  houses,  shops—  or, 
in  truth,  anywhere.  All  your  wants  at  a  hotel  are 
supplied  by  men,  and  even  your  washwoman,  or 
"  Uhobi,"  is  a  man,  and  my  linen  is  standing  proof 
that  he  has  been  a  vigorous  one,  and  shows  in  a 
most  lamentable  form  the  effects  of  pounding  the  ar- 
ticles upon  stones  the  usual'  method  of  washing  in 
this  country. 

Another  excursion  that  I  found  very  agreeable  was 
to  the  palace  of  the  Maharaja  of  Benares,  which  is  lo- 
cated on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  from  the  city. 
A  drive  of  some  three  miles  brought  us  to  the  banks 
of  the  river,  which  we  -crossed  in  a  native  boat,  and 
then  walked  up  the  bank  to  the  entrance  of  the  palace. 
I  sent  in  my  card,  which  was  promptly  acknowledged, 
and  an  intelligent  secretary  of  the  Maharaja  accom- 
panied me  through  the  audience  room  and  one  or 
two  reception  rooms.  There  was  nothing  very  re- 
markable about  them  —their  furniture  being  of  modern 
European  styles.  The  portraits  of  the  various  mem- 
bers of  the  royal  family  were  the  most  interesting 
subjects  that  I  saw,  and  which  the  secretary  explain- 


APPROACHING   CALCUTTA.  I  2Q 

ed.  We  were  shown,  also,  the  howdah  and  trap- 
pings of  the  elephants,  some  of  which  were  rich  and 
expensive  ;  but  the  great  charm  of  the  place  was  the 
fine  view  one  gets  from  the  balconies,  of  the  city  and 
the  river,  which  flows  at  the  base  of  the  castle  walls. 
The  river  is  navigable  for  light-draught  steamers, 
even  up  to  Allahabad,  but  since  the  introduction  of 
the  railway  they  have  almost  entirely  disappeared. 

As  I  propose  mailing  this  at  Calcutta,  #I'll  leave  off 
writing  for  the  present. 

Spencer  s  Hotel,  Calcutta,  February  jd,  1886. — The 
ride  from  Benares  to  this  city,  by  the  East  India 
Railway,  proved  an  interesting  one.  Leaving 
that  city  about  midday,  we  reached  the  terminus, 
Howrah,  as  it  is  called,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
Hoogly  River  from  this  city,  at  six  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  following  day  ;  time,  about  18  hours; 
distance  360  miles.  This  is  by  the  mail  or  fast  train. 
All  other  trains  are  far  slower,  and  make  innumer- 
able stops.  The  first-class  carriages  of  this  line — and 
they  may  be  taken  as  samples  of  most  roads — are  very 
roomy  and  rather  comfortable — each  compartment 
containing  two  long  sofas  that  are  nicely  upholstered, 
and  two  hanging  shelves,  all  of  which  can  be  convert- 
ed into  beds  at  night,  but  it  is  seldom  that  the  upper 
berths  are  required.  There  is  attached  to  each  com- 
partment a  toilet  room,  but  every  traveler  must  supply 
his  own  bedding,  and  hence  a  pillow  and  a  roll  of 
wraps  become  an  essential  part  of  nearly  every  Indian 


130  AGRA    TO  BENARES. 


traveler's  outfit,  as  most  all  the  fast  trains  start  from 
the  chief  points  at  night. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Benares  we  entered  the 
largest  opium  growing  district  of  India,  and  at  Patna 
passed  its  chief  shipping  point.  Fortunately,  I  fell  in 
with  a  very  intelligent  engineer,  who  explained  the 
mode  of  preparing  the  drug.  It  is  only  the  white 
flowered  poppy  that  is  grown,  and  the  fields  were  in 
a  mass  of  bloom.  It  seems  that  the  bulb  of  the 
plant,  containing  the  seeds,  upon  being  scratched 
exudes  a  gummy  substance,  which  is  carefully  col- 
lected. This  bulb  is  worked  at  until  all  the  gum  is 
exhausted.  The  aggregate  of  various  collections  is 
then  heated,  and  its  watery  particles  driven  off.  The 
residue  is  collected  in  two-pound  balls,  enclosed  in 
the  poppy  leaves,  and  is  then  ready  for  market.  Of 
course,  this  is  only  a  rough  description,  as  great  care 
is  necessary,  in  driving  off  the  water,  not  to  exceed 
a  certain  temperature,  and  experts  are  employed  in 
the  preparation  of  the  drug.  I  have  seen  in  the 
course  of  my  few  days'  stay  here,  many  cart  loads  of 
this  pernicious  drug  on  its  way  to  the  Government 
warehouses,  from  whence  it  is  shipped  by  a  special 
line  of  steamers  (known  as  the  opium  line)  to  China 
and  elsewhere.  What  a  pity  that  a  great  Government 
like  that  of  England  should  be  engaged  in  encourag- 
ing the  growth  of  this  article,  for  it  does  encourage  its 
growth  and  to  that  end  often  advances  the  farmer  the 
necessary  funds.      It  also   designates  the  amount  of 


THE    OPIUM     TRAFFIC.  1 3  I 


soil  that  shall  be  cultivated,  and  all  this  that  it  may 
secure  the  paltry  sum  of  $i  5, 000,000  towards  its 
India  revenue.  I  don't  wonder  that  the  thinking  and 
philanthropic  spirits  of  London  are  holding  meetings 
and  endeavoring  to  bring  about  a  different  order  of 
things. 

Near  Patna  there  is  a  branch  line  of  this  road  that 
runs  southward  almost  to  Buddha  Gay,  a  pilgrim- 
age to  which  I  should  have  made,  as  it  is  of  great 
interest  from  being  the  spot  related  by  Buddha,  for 
his  long  fast  and  meditation.  Murray  quoting  from 
high  authority  states  that  "  it  continued  through 
six  years,  and  that  he  began  by  living  on  a  plum 
a  day,  then  on  a  grain  of  rice,  then  on  a 
grain  of  sesum,  and  then  he  took  nothing."  It  con- 
tains a  handsome  temple,  and  many  interesting  ob- 
jects connected  with  the  early  life  of  this  great 
teacher,  whose  disciples  far  out-number  any  other 
faith  on  the  globe. 

From  this  point  he  went  to  Benares,  where  he  first 
preached;  hence  both  places  are  sacred  to  the  faith- 
ful Buddhist. 


M 


XIV. 
CALCUTTA  TO  DARJEELING. 

WOODLAND    HOTEL,  DARJEELING, 

7,300  FEET  ABOVE  THE  SEA. 

TEMP.  IN  SHADE  AT  SUNRISE,  320. 
February  j t/i,  1SS6. 

Y  excursion  to  this  mountain  resort  and  sanitar- 
ium for  the  troops  and  residents  of  Calcutta  has 
been  not  only  successful,  but  most  interesting.  Dar- 
jeeling  is  one   of  those    points  that  'the  tourist  does 
not  care  to  leave  out;  yet,  as  it  requires   nearly  four 
days  from  Calcutta  to  go  and  return,  with  a  possibil- 
ity of  making  the  mountain  section  of  the  journey  in 
a  fog,  and  not  even  getting  a  glimpse   of  the   snow- 
peaks  he  is  in  search  of,  it  requires  some  little  deter- 
mination    to   face  these   posssible  disappointments.. 
Happily  I've    accomplished  the  journey  under   the 
most  favorable   of  skies  and   have    been    rewarded 
by     seeing     the     tallest    mountain    peaks    in    the 
world — the  highest,    Mount  Everest,    being   29,002: 


THE    HIM  ALA  Y-AS.  I  33 

feet,  and  having  as  neighbors  Kinchinjunga,  28,1 56 
feet;  Janu,  25,304  feet;  Kabru,  24,015  feet,  and 
others.  I  might  add  to  the  list,  but  this  will  suffice 
to  give  you  an  idea  of  the  enormous  altitude  to  which 
the  highest  peaks  of  the  Himalaya  range  attain.  The 
excursion,  as  made  from  Calcutta,  can  be  accom- 
plished entirely  by  rail.  The  first  portion,  over  the 
level  country  lying  between  the  Hoogly  and  Ganges, 
is  made  by  the  Eastern  Bengal  State  Railway,  of  five- 
foot  gauge.  After  crossing  the  Ganges  you  take  the 
Northern  Bengal  State  Railway,  of  the  metre  gauge, 
and  the  last,  or  mountain  section,  is  traveled  by  the 
Darjeeling  Himalayan  Railway,  of  two -feet  gauge. 
The  country  passed  over  is  in  the  main  densely  pop- 
ulated, and  we  saw  along  the  line  most  extensive 
fields  of  various  kinds  of  grain,  prominent  among 
them  being  barley,  which  is  rapidly  matured  and  will 
be  cut  within  thirty  days.  Sugar  cane  is  also  grown  to 
a  considerable  extent,  and  we  saw  numerous  camps 
where  the  natives  were  grinding  it  and  converting 
the  juice  into  sugar.  There  were,  beside,  a  number 
of  other  grains  in  various  stages  of  advancement. 

As  we  approached  the  mountains  the  native  vil- 
lages showed  a  different  style  of  architecture,  and  in 
place  of  the  mud  huts,  so  common  in  the  Northern 
and  Middle  sections  of  India,  we  found  their  homes 
largely  constructed  of  bamboo,  which  grows  in  great 
luxuriance  and  attains  immense  size.  They  use  sec- 
tions of   the  bamboo   at    Darjeeling  for  milk  cans. 


134 


DELHI    TO  AGRA. 


The  roofs  of  their  houses  are  closely  thatched,  and 
are  constructed  with  a  curved  ridge  not  unlike  a 
hog's  back,  and  with  long,  descending  eaves— car- 
rying off  readily  the  heavy  rains  to  which  the  region 
is  subject,  and  protecting  the  walls  of  the  cottages. 
There  were  no  evidences  of  irrigation,  and  I  infer 
that  they  have  ample  water  for  all  crops. 

The  peculiar  form  of  roof  that  I've  attempted  to 
describe  especially  attracted  my  attention— not  only 
from  its.  rather  odd,  yet  graceful  appearance,  but  also 
because  I  had  seen  its  counterpart  in  the  roofs  ot  the 
various  "Audience  Halls"  in  and  about  Delhi  and 
Lahore,  as  constructed  under  the  Mogul  kings  ;  and 
I'm  quite  of  the  opinion  that  the  builder  in  stone  and 
marble,  recognizing  the  graceful  shape,  borrowed 
the  idea  from  the  native  hut  of  this  region. 

Before  leaving  the  "  Eastern  Bengal  line  '  I  must 
speak  of  a  cast-iron  sleeper  I  noticed,  which  is  gradu- 
ally replacing  the  wooden  one.  and  as  all  the  world 
is  interested  in  finding  a  good  substitute  for  wood, 
I'll  attempt  to  describe  it.  Under  each  rail  is  placed 
a  cast-iron  disk  about  three  feet  long  and  fifteen  in- 
ches wide  ;  these  are  connected  transversely  by  an 
iron  rod.  Each  of  the  disks  has  a  permanent  cheek, 
cast  with  it,  that  rests  snugly  against  the  outer  face 
of  the  rail.  There  is  also  a  movable  cheek  for  each 
rail,  that  rests  against  the  inner  face,  through  which 
the  transverse  rod  runs.  By  means  of  a  wedge  driv- 
en through  a  slot  in  this  movable  cheek  andthetrans- 


CAST    IRON    RAILWAY    TIES.  I  35 

verse  bar  all  is  made  snug  and  firm.  The  simplicity 
of  the  various  parts,  and  the  facility  with  which  they 
are  laid  down,  seemed  to  commend  the  system  and 
struck  me  as  being  quite  worthy  of  notice.  I  ques- 
tioned an  intelligent  engineer  connected  with  the 
public  works  of  India,  and  whom  I  met  on  the  train. 
He  stated  that  the  system  had  been  very  thoroughly 
tested,  and  he  believed  in  its  permanent  usefulness. 
The  wooden  sleeper  in  this  country  is  very  short- 
lived, owing  to  the  dry-rot.  It  has  also  an  enemy  in 
the  white  ant,  which  eats  it  up. 

We  reached  the  mountain  section  of  our  journey 
early  in  the  morning,  and,  as  the  sky  was  beautifully 
clear,  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  Himalayan  snows  in 
the  far  distance.  Besides,  we  were  assured,  by  the 
Assistant  Superintendent  of  the  line,  that  we  would 
have  fine  weather,  and  all  indications  pointed  in  that 
direction.  The  tiny  cars  and  engine  which  made  up 
our  last  train  were  amusing  to  look  at ;  still  we  found 
them  quite  equal  to  the  work  required,  and  they 
took  us  up  the  mountains  in  a  very  comfortable  way. 

The  line  follows,  in  the  main,  the  old  wagon  road 
constructed  under  the  direction  of  Lieut.  Napier, 
now  Lord  Napier,  of  Magdala.  This  road  has  been 
in  existence  for  many  years,  and  .was  the  earliest 
made  for  reaching  this  much-needed  sanitarium, 
which  was  established  as  early  as  1840.  As  the 
mountains  rise  almost  directly  from  the  plain,  a  rap- 
id ascent  is  noticeable  from  the   first,  and  we  had 


I36  CALCUTTA    TO    DARJEEI.IXG. 

been  but  a  mile  or  two  on  our  way  when  sharp 
curves  became  frequent — in  some  instances  not  ex- 
ceeding a  radius  of  J  5  feet.  The  forest-trees  also  in 
creased  in  number,  and  at  some  points  we  passed 
thick  jungles  of  enormous  bamboo  and  cane,  and  as 
we  turned  the  sharp  projecting  points  of  the  moun- 
tain, beautiful  views  of  the  valleys  and  plains  beyond 
presented  themselves.  At  2,000  feet  we  met  the 
tea  plantations,  which  became  an  object  of  interest. 
The  plant  itself  does  not,  in  this  section,  exceed 
three  feet  in  height,  and  resembles  the  gooseberry 
bush  as  much  as  anything  I  now  think  of.  Fortu- 
nately I  met  on  the  train  Mr.  Henry  Wathen,  man- 
ager of  the  "  Springside  Tea  Gardens,"  who  gave 
me  a  great  deal  of  interesting  and  valuable  informa- 
tion respecting  the  culture  of  tea.  I  was  surprised  to 
learn  from  him  that  the  best  Darjeeling  tea  com- 
manded the  highest  price  in  London  market  of  any 
in  the  world.  You  lovers  of  good  tea  may  as  well 
make  a  note  of  that.  The  amount  sent  out  is  not 
great — about  10,000,000  pounds  The  entire  India 
product  is  about  60,000,000  pounds.  The  tea  is  grown 
at  all  available  points  along  the  side  of  the  mountains 
up  to  this  point,  and  in  very  many  instances  the 
land  is  terraced  in  order  to  sustain  the  plant  and 
prevent  the  rains  from  washing  it  away.  Tea  re- 
quires considerable  moisture,  combined  with  heat. 
From  140  to  i5o  inches  of  rainfall  gives  the  requisite 
amount.     So  far  as  I  could  learn,  the  only  difference 


TEA     TABLE    TALK.  I  37 

between  green  and  black  tea  lies  in  the  curing — the 
former  being  subject  to  longer  and  greater  heat  than 
black  tea.  Both  teas  are  picked  from  the  same 
plants,  and  the  young  and  tender  leaves  give  the 
best  article.  As  tea  can  be  grown  in  the  plain  be- 
low, and  the  yield  is  greater  per  acre,  I  naturally 
asked  why  the  mountains  were  chosen.  The  reply 
was  that  the  mountain  tea  was  stronger  and  of  a 
finer  flavor — hence  it  is  much  used  in  mixing  with 
other  teas.  The  yield  in  the  plain  country  is  about 
540  pounds  per  acre,  while  up  here  it  varies  240  to 
320  pounds. 

We  reached  this  comfortable  hotel  at  4  p.  m.,  and 
were  cordially  greeted  by  our  hostess,  Mrs.  Roberts, 
who  at  once  directed  fires  to  be  built  in  our  rooms 
and  offered  us  a  refreshing  cup  of  tea.  During  the 
last  part  of  the  journey  a  fog  had  settled  about  us, 
and  every  one  was  anxious  to  learn  the  prospects  of 
seeing  the  snowy  range  at  sunset  or  in  the  early 
morning.  Mrs.  Roberts  was  positive  that  we  would 
have  that  pleasure,  as  all  indications  pointed  that 
way  ;  and  just  before  the  sun  went  down  we  caught 
a  glimpse  of  Kinchinjunga  and  some  of  its  neighbor- 
ing peaks.  I  ordered  a  pony  to  be  ready  at  7  o'clock 
the  following  morning,  that  I  might  make  the  ex- 
cursion to  Senchal,  six  miles  away,  from  which  the 
peak  of  Mount  Everest  is  visible.  I  was  roused  at 
6  a.  m.,  and  was  out  on  the  terrace  just  as  the  sun 
was  tinging  the  topmost  peaks  of  the  snowy  range — 


1 3S  CALCUTTA     TO   DARJEELING. 

prominent  among  which  is  "  Old  Kinchan,"  as  he  is 
called  for  short.  The  morning  was  beautifully  clear 
and  the  whole  range,  although  5o  miles  away,  seemed 
only  a  short  distance  off, 

Securing  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  couple  of  soft  boiled 
eggs,  I  was  soon  away  on  the  active  mountain  pony 
that  had  been  ordered  for  me.  The  rise  is  continuous 
almost  the  entire  journey,  and  you  have  some  superb 
views  of  Darjeeling,  the  Snowy  Mountains  and  the 
various  valleys  of  the  Himalyas.  The  ride  takes  you 
through  the  Military  Sanitarium  of  Jalapah  and  one 
or  two  mountain  villages,  where  you  meet  the  hardy, 
strongly-built  mountain  man — an  entirely  different 
type  from  the  resident  of  the  plain.  The  mountain- 
eers show  most  distinctly  the  Tartar  peculiarities  of 
feature — broad  faces,  the  almond  eye  of  the  Chinese, 
etc.,  and  some  even  wore  "  pig  tails  " — showing  their 
connection  with  that  race.  Along  the  mountain  road 
I  met  numerous  parties  of  wood-carriers,  who  were 
on  their  way  to  the  Darjeeling  market  with  a  back- 
load  of  wood.  Their  burdens  would  have  crushed 
the  ordinary  Calcutta  native.  They  all  greeted  me 
cordially,  and  there  was  an  air  of  independence  about 
them  that  called  for  attention.  Many  of  their  women 
were  exceedingly  fair,  and  in  some  faces  the  rich 
blush  of  the  European  was  visible. 

I  reached  Senchal  at  8  a.  m.,  where  the  pocket  an- 
eroid marked  8,45o  feet,  and  a  little  more  climbing 
brought  me  to  Tiger  Hill,  8,800   feet.     From  this 


MOUNTAIN    CLIMBING.  I  39 

elevation  the  view  of  the  entire  range  was  complete, 
and  included  Mount  Everest  (over  ioo  miles  away) 
and  its  two  adjoining  peaks.  Like  the  one  from  the 
top  of  Rhigi,  in  Switzerland,  it  is  very  comprehensive, 
and  is  most  satisfactory.  You  may  naturally  ask 
which  I  prefer,  and  I'm  compelled  to  say  the  Swiss 
one,  as  the  latter  combines  more  beauties,  such  as 
lake  and  river  scenery.  The  volume  of  snow,  too, 
in  the  Himalayas  is  much  less — owing  no  doubt,  to 
its  lower  latitude. 

I  returned  to  the  hotel  in  time  for  a  late  breakfast, 
and  at  1 1  a.  m.  shall  be  off  for  Calcutta.  I  would  like 
to  remain  longer  in  this  grand  place,  but  when  one 
is  making  a  tour  of  the  world  an  eye  must  be  had  to 
the  countries  beyond,  and  which  should  be  reached 
at  the  proper  season — particularly  Japan,  which  all 
travelers  unite  in  pronouncing  one  of  the  most  at- 
tractive and  interesting  that  they  meet  with  in  the 
course  of  this  2  5,ooo  miles  trip.  I  find  up  here  sev- 
eral agreeable  and  interesting  English  people — all, 
like  myself,  visiting  it  for  a  view  of  the  snowy  range, 
and  to  make  a  journey  over  the  Darjeeling  and  Hima- 
laya Railway — one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  English 
territory. 

I  observe  on  the  books  of  this  hotel  the  names  of 
quite  a  number  of  our  countrymen,  some  of  whom 
I've  met  before  in  my  journey;  but  some  are  evi- 
dently bound  to  the  westward,  and  have  come  from 
Japan,  China  and  elsewhere.     As  the  dates   of  all 


I40  CALCUTTA    TO  DARJEELIiVG. 

are  quite  recent,  this  may  reasonably  be  regarded  as 
a  sort  of  half-way  house  in  the  journey  round  the 
world. 


XY. 
CALCUTTA  TO  MADRAS. 

AUSTRIO-HUN'GARIAN  STEAMER  "ARGO", 
MOUTH  OF  HOOGLY  RIVER,   INDIA,   TEMP.   IN  SHADE,   820. 

February  14th,   1886. 

FROM  the  caption  of  this  you  will  see  that  I  am 
leaving  India,  where  I've  passed  nearly  two 
months  most  agreeably  and,  I  trust,  profitably.  My 
last  impressions  are  certainly  delightful,  as  at  Cal- 
cutta I  fell  into  most  hospitable  hands,  and  the  last 
week  was  passed  at  the  cozy  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

J.  Go n — he  a  member  of  the  Bengal  Bank.     I 

made  their  acquaintance  on  the  way  from  Brindisi  to 
Bombay,  and  on  reaching  Calcutta  (on  my  return 
from  Darjeeling)  they  insisted  upon  my  coming  to 
their  house — a  change  I  was  glad  to  accept,  as  India 
hotels  are  not  over  attractive,  and  those  of  Calcutta 
seemed  to  be  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  "  smelliest" 
district  of  the  city. 

Government  House  is  near  the  same  locality,  and 


142  CALCUTTA     TO    MADRAS. 

I  wonder  how  the  Viceroy  can  stand  the  foul  smells 
that  I  noticed  when  passing  in  front  of  his  residence. 
Perhaps  this  accounts  for  his  passing  such  a  small 
portion  of  the  time  in  the  city,  as  he  goes  every  week 
to  a  country  place  near  town,  and  in  the  hot  weather 
to  Simla,  a  hill  station  up  in  the  Punjab,  some  1,200 
miles  from  Calcutta.  I  would  not  have  you  think 
Government  House  an  unattractive  one,  as  every- 
thing is  done  to  render  it  a  desirable  residence.  It 
is  in  the  midst  of  a  large  "  compound  " — containing, 
I  should  judge,  some  seven  acres — which  is  shut  off 
from  the  streets  that  surround  it  by  dense  tropical 
foliage,  conspicuous  among  which  is  the  bamboo. 
The  structure  itself  is  large  and  in  the  classical  style 
of  architecture — the  main  building  having  a  circular 
portico  supported  by  Ionic  columns.  The  wings  are 
connected  with  the  main  building  by  semi-circular 
galleries.  The  grounds  are  well  kept  and  numerous 
plants  are  distributed  through  them.  One  or  two 
pieces  of  ordnance  have  conspicuous  positions  at  both 
the  north  and  south  fronts.  The  state  rooms  of  the 
interior  are  very  large  and  imposing ;  the  throne- 
room  is  especially  so.  Numerous  portraits  of  former 
Governor-Generals  (as  they  were  originally  styled) 
adorn  its  walls,  as  also  those  of  the  dining  and  ball 
rooms. 

The  entire  house  was  thrown  open  on  the  night 
of  February  ist.when  a  grand  ball  was  given  in  honor 
of  the  foreign  officers.     It  was  a  large  assemblage, 


A    GOVERNMENT  BALL.  I  43 

principally,  made  up  from  the  military,  and  the  num- 
ber of  gaudy  uniforms,  added  to  the  rich  toilets  of  the 
ladies,  made  it  a  gay  affair.  The  Viceroy  wore  a 
rich  uniform,  and  Lady  Dufferin  was  handsomely 
dressed  in  dark  velvet  and  wore  a  species  of  crown, 
or  tiara,  of  precious  stones  upon  her  head.  Dancing 
was  kept  up  'till  a  late  hour;  but,  as  I  had  attended 
rather  a  large  dinner  party  before  going,  I  did  not 
feel  disposed  to  remain  late — hence  must  be  excused 
from  telling  who  were  the  belles  of  the  evening. 

The  Viceroy  rarely  goes  out  unattended,  and  a 
large  troop  of  native  lancers  forms  his  body  guard. 
They  are  picked  men,  mounted  upon  large  English 
horses,  and  their  rich  uniform  and  fine  appearance 
usually  attract  attention.  It  is  probably  good  policy 
to  have  the  Viceroy  thus  escorted,  as  the  native  mind 
is  impressed  by  such  stately  show.  On  the  other 
hand,  without  an  escort,  their  estimate  of  him  would 
probably  be  lessened. 

Calcutta  has  long  borne  the  reputation  of  being  a 
city  of  palaces.  I  don't  know  that  it  fully  maintains 
this  title,  but  certainly  the  old  merchant  princes  of 
Calcutta  built  handsome  residences,  the  principal 
portion  of  which  are  located  on  Chowringee  Road 
and  face  a  large  open  mall,  where  most  of  the  sports 
are  held  by  the  Europeans.  It  is  a  pretty  feature 
of  the  city,  and  is  nicely  kept.  Most  of  the  driving  is 
done,  in  the  afternoons,  along  roads  that  border  it. 
The  club  houses  are  also  fine  buildings  and  many  are 


144  CALCUTTA    TO    MADRAS. 

located  on  Chowringee  Road.  Prominent  among 
these  are  the  Bengal  and  the  United  Service,  the 
former  at  one  time  the  residence  of  Mr.  T.  B. 
Macaulay  afterwards  Lord  Macaulay;  it  was  founded 
in  1827.  In  case  of  temporary  residence  in  the  city 
it  is  well  to  become  a  member.  You  pay  a  small 
sum  as  an  initiation  fee,  and  after  that  only  for  your 
room  and  such  refreshments  as  you  may  order. 
Many  travelers  having  friends  among  the  members, 
and  only  passing  a  few  days,  prefer  paying  the  in- 
itiation fee,  as  one  is  made  so  much  more  comfort- 
able than  at  a  hotel.     Mr.  Pa n,  manager  of  the 

French  Bank  kindly  offered  to  put  me  up,  but  added: 
"As  you  are  to  stop  at  a  private  house,  I  don't  think 
anything  will  be  gained."  Hence  I  did  not  seek  an 
election.  One  of  the  most  interesting  excursions  that 
I  made  was  to  the  Botanical  .Gardens,  which  are 
down  the  river  (on  the  right  bank)  and  some  three 
miles  from  the  city.  The  collection  of  plants  and  rare 
trees  is  most  extensive,  and  the  managers  have  the 
reputation  of  having  distributed  more  plants  than 
any  other  garden  in  the  world.  The  gardens  cover 
some  270  acres  and  near  the  centre  is  the  famous 
Banyan  tree  {Ficus  indica),  the  arms  of  which  cover 
ground  800  feet  in  circumference.  Immediately 
opposite  these  gardens  and  on  the  Calcutta  side  of 
the  river,  is  the  residence  of  the  King  Oudh  and  his 
numerous  retainers.  He  is  kept  under  surveillance 
and  amuses  himself  after  his  pleasure.     One  of  his 


A    ROYAL    MENAGERIE.  1 45 

hobbies  is  the  collection  of  animals  and  birds.  I  saw 
swarms  of  pigeons  flying  about  the  various  buildings, 
and  it  was  stated  he  had  5o,ooo — many  of  choice 
varieties.  I  did  not  visit  his  palace,  being  rather 
"used  up"  with  a  cold  and  fatigued  by  sight  seeing 
elsewhere. 

Old  Fort  William,  completed  in  1773  under  Lord 
Clive,  is  an  interesting  work  and  a  very  strong  one 
for  its  day;  it  is  on  the  side  of  the  Esplanade  nearest 
the  river,  and  but  a  short  distance  from  it.  Its  plan  is 
sort  of  an  irregular  octagon,  with  five  sides  looking 
landward  and  three  on  the  river;  it  is  surrounded  by 
a  ditch  30  feet  deep  and  5o  broad,  can  mount  600 
guns,  and  hold  a  garrison  of  10,000  men. 

Coming  from  the  upper  country,  one  is  rather 
struck  with  the  absence  of  the  turban  among  the 
natives — a  feature  that  did  not  impress  me  pleasantly, 
as  it  is  always  picturesque  and  to  my  taste  adds  great- 
ly to  the  appearance  of  the  average  native  ;  but  it  is 
a  fact  that  a  great  many  go  entirely  bare-headed,  and 
I  noticed  this  the  case  with  the  merchant  and  legal 
class  (or,  at  least,  I  took  them  as  such);  on  the  river 
and  among  the  boatmen  the  practice  of  going  with- 
out any  head  covering  is  almost  general. 

I  should  be  glad  if  I  could  describe  the  ordinary 
river  boat,  for  it  is  a  most  picturesque  affair,  with  its 
stern  elevated  high  above  the  rowers,  who  occupy 
the  bow,  or  forward  part  ;  but  I  hardly  think  myself 
up  to  making  it  plain  to  your  readers.   I  am  sure  the 


I46  CALCUTTA     TO    MAORIS. 

average  South  Side  bayman  would  be  amused  if  he 
could  see  one  of  these  native  crafts. 

I  bade  good-bye  to  my  friends  in  the  city  late  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  1  ith — preferring  to  come  on 
board  the  day  before,  as  the  ship  was  advertised  to 
sail  early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th.  "  Rama"  my 
servant,  accompanied  me  to  the  steamer,  and  really 
seemed  to  regret  parting.  He  was  profuse  in  his 
gratitude  for  what  I  had  done  for  hin,  and  especially 
gratified  that  I  had  given  him  the  opportunity  of 
visiting  so  many  of  the  places  sacred  to  his  Hindoo 
gods.  I  know  that  he  spent  his  money  freely  among 
the  Hindoo  priests  at  Benares,  and  I  believe  he  had 
to  pay  well  at  other  points,  so  that  when  settling 
with  him  I  gave  quite  a  liberal  sum  as  "  backshish." 
His  eyes  brightened  up  and  he  made  several  demon- 
strations of  gratefulness.  Well,  he  was  in  the  main 
a  good  servant  and,  I  believe,  honest  and  faithful,  and 
I  trust  my  certificate  of  character  will  soon  secure 
him  another  place.  I  know  that  those  who  have 
employed  Portuguese  servants,  who  are  usually  Chris* 
tians,  often  complain  that  they  were  lazy  and,  when 
they  got  a  chance,  would  drink  up  their  master's 
liquor.  "  Rama  "  never  drank  anything  intoxicating 
as  it  is  against  the  Hindoo  creed,  and  was  never 
absent  except  by  permission. 

While  on  the  subject  of  servants  I  will  state  that 
in  course  of  conversation,  my  hostess  at  Calcutta 
told  me  it  required  sixteen   men   servants  for  her 


DOMESTIC   SERVANTS   IN   INDIA.  I  47 

rather  quiet  establishment,  and  their  average  pay 
per  month  was  something  more  than  $4  each,  with 
which  sum  they  supported  themselves  entirely.  She 
also  said  that  when  they  kept  their  own  horses  three 
additional  men  would  be  necessary.  At  the  present 
time  they  were  using  a  livery  stable  horse  and 
coupe,  for  which  they  paid  about  $5o  per  month. 
All  these  items  sound  absurdly  cheap  to  us,  but  un- 
der the  caste  system  only  certain  men  can  perform 
certain  styles  of  work,  and  hence  the  necessity  for 
so  large  a  force.  Three  or  four  good  servants,  with 
us,  would  really  accomplish  more  than  the  entire  19 
Indian  natives — their  methods  of  doing  everything 
being  so  crude  that  no  attempt  is  made  to  save 
labor,  and  where  population  is  so  dense  as  in  India, 
it  might  be  fatal  to  the  masses  if  the  labor  of  a  few 
could  be  made  to  accomplish  as  much  as  is  now  per- 
formed by  the  many.  The  average  daily  compen- 
sation for  agricultural  labor  is  from  two  to  four 
"  anas  "  per  day — that  is,  from  6  to  1 2  cents,  of  our 
money — on  which  they  subsist  themselves. 

I  had  ample  time,  while  lying  in  the  river,  to  ob- 
serve the  shipping,  most  of  which  was  anchored  to 
buoys.  Very  few  vessels  were  alongside  of  piers. 
In  truth,  the  rise  and  fall  of  tide  (from  10  to  i5  feet) 
does  not  easily  admit  of  piers,  I  believe  only  the 
P.  &  O.  and  the  British  India  Lines  have  accommo- 
dations of  this  description.  There  are  some  points 
where  other  steamers  receive  and  discharge  their 


I48  CALCUTTA     TO   MADRAS. 

freight,  but  they  are  only  permitted  to  occupy  such 
places  for  a  short  time.  The  navigation  of  the 
Hoogly  is  exceedingly  difficult,  and  is  attended  with 
many  dangers.  Most  captains  have  a  great  dread 
of  it,  and  they  have  reason  for  their  fears,  as,  owing 
to  shifting  sands,  vessels  grounding  are  liable  to  turn 
over  in  a  few  moments,  and  there  are  many  instances 
given  of  loss  from  this  cause.  Fortunately  they 
have  a  superior  class  of  pilots,  and  this  inspires  con- 
fidence. Owing  to  river  regulations  (all  no  doubt 
most  wise  and  necessary),  sand  bars,  etc.,  we  were 
from  8  a.  m.  on  the  12th,  to  1  p.  m.  on  the  13th 
making  a  distance  of  about  90  miles,  and  this  in  a 
steamer  drawing  little  more  than  18  feet  of  water. 
This  will  give  your  seafaring  readers  an  idea  of  the 
difficulties  of  navigating  the  Hoogly — which,  by  the 
by,  in  many  features  resembles  the  Mississippi,  par- 
ticularly on  its  left  bank,  which  has  a  levee  along  a 
portion  of  the  distance.  The  crooks  and  turns  in 
the  river,  sand  bars,  etc.,  all  tend  to  remind  one 
of  America's  great  stream,  but  the  vegetation  of  this 
is  more  of  a  tropical  character,  and  the  date  and 
other  varieties  of  the  palm  tree  form  the  chief  foli- 
age along  its  banks. 

This  letter  is  probably  the  last  you  will  get  from 
India,  and  your  readers  may  naturally  ask  the  ques- 
tion :  "  Will  a  trip  to  India  pay?  "  I  answer  :  "Most 
emphatically,  Yes. "  The  interest  in  the  journey  has 
never  for  a  moment  flagged,  and  it  undoubtedly  would 


I    PROFITABLE  JOURNEY.  1 49 

have  been  far  greater  had  I  prepared  myself  more 
thoroughly  for  the  journey.  My  appreciation  would 
have  been  keener,  and  less  time  would  have  been 
consumed  in  looking  up  the  chief  objects  of  interest, 
had  I  known  exactly  what  they  were  and  where  they 
were  to  be  found.  Let  those  who  have  the  time  and 
inclination,  and  sufficient  zest  for  travel  not  to  care  for 
a  few  discomforts,  come  and  see  for  themselves.  A 
first  class  return  ticket  by  the  best  steamers  will  not 
cost  much  more  than  a  winter  passed  in  Florida,  and 
I  am  confident  that  the  variety  and  change  of  scene 
will  be  tenfold  greater  and  more  diverting. 

Our  steamer  touches  for  a  few  hours  at  Madras, 
where  I  mail  this,  and  then  proceeds  direct  to  Colom- 
bo, in  Ceylon,  where  I  shall  be  detained  some  four 
or  five  days  for  a  P.  &  O.  steamer  to  take  me  to  Pe- 
nang,  Singapore  and  Hong  Kong.  As  I  do  not  pro- 
pose making  any  longer  stay  at  those  points  than  a 
through  steamer  usually  does,  you  may  not  hear  from 
me  more  than  once  until  reaching  Hong  Kong,  about 
March  i5th. 

I  enclose  with  this  some  leaves  of  the  tea  plant, 
which  I  intended  to  send  in  a  letter  from  Darjeeling 
They  will  be  thoroughly  dried  up  and  may  be  crum- 
bled before  reaching  Long  Island,  but  you  may  be 
able  to  form  some  idea  of  the  leaf,  which  in  its  pre- 
pared state  furnishes  the  beverage  that  stimulates 
without  intoxicating. 


XVI. 
MADRAS  TO  CEYLON. 

AUSTRIO-HUNGARIAN  STEAMER  "ARGO", 

HEARING  COLOMBO,  CEYLON. 

TEMP.  IN  SHADE,   8o°. 

February  igth,  1886. 

OUR  stay  in  Madras  was  longer  than  anticipated 
(being  some  twenty-two  hours),  which  gave 
us  a  good  opportunity  of  seeing  the  city.  Approach- 
ing Madras  from  the  sea,  you  get  a  fine  view  of  its 
public  buildings,  several  of  which  are  located  immedi- 
ately upon  the  shore,  leaving  only  a  wide  drive  and 
traffic-way  between  them  and  the  water.  The  post 
office  is  the  most  prominent,  and  presents  a  good 
appearance,  with  its  conspicuous  towers,  visible  a  long 
way  up  and  down  the  coast.  None  of  the  other  pub- 
lic buildings  are  especially  noticeable. 

Driving  through  the  city  does  not  greatly  impress 
one  with  either  its  beauty  or  attractiveness,  but  some 
of  the  roads  in  the  European  quarter  are  beautifully 
lined  with  trees  and  furnish  fine  drives.  Mount 
Road,  which  leads  to  a  mount  some  eight  miles  away, 


HARBOR    OF   MADRAS.  I  5  I 

is  one  of  the  most  prominent,  and  I  saw  some  fine 
equipages  in  the  course  of  the  hour  I  was  on  it.  A 
drive  along  the  Beach  Road,  in  the  direction  of  Fort 
St.  George,  is  another  favorite  resort  and  gives  one" 
a  refreshing  breeze  from  the  sea — most  acceptable,  I 
should  judge,  as  Madras  seems  to  have  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  an  intensely  hot  place.  When  I  visited 
the  office  of  the  agent  of  this  line  and  remarked 
that  he  kept  the  "punka"  going,  his  reply  was:  "Yes, 
and  it's  necessary  all  the  year  round." 

The  harbor  of  Madras  is  entirely  artificial,  and 
owes  every  safety  it  posseses  to  its  breakwater,  con- 
structed originally  in  the  form  of  the  letter  "U,"with 
an  opening  in  its  base  towards  the  sea.  This  portion 
was  materially  damaged  during  a  cyclone  of  three  or 
four  years  since.  Nearly  all  steamers  receive  and 
discharge  their  cargoes  from  lighters,  and  during  the 
stormy  season  the  natives  use  a  species  of  high-sided 
surf  boat,  without  knees  or  braces,  and  the  planks 
which  lap  each  other,  are  sewed  instead  of  being 
nailed  together — their  keel,  stern  and  bow  pieces  be- 
ing the  only  substantial  parts.  I  was  told  the  planks 
were  exceeding  light  and  porous,  and  many  are  cut 
from  the  palm  tree.  They  swim  very  high  and, 
having  large  crews  can  be  run  well  up  on  the  beach 
on  landing.     (See  representation  on  cover  of  book.; 

The  fishing  boat,  large  numbers  of  which  we  pas- 
sed some  distance  at  sea  and  on  entering  and  leaving- 
the  harbor,    is   an   odd-looking  affair  (a   species  of 


1 52  MADRAS    TO    CEYLON. 

catamaran),  made  up  of  three  or  four  logs  bound  to- 
gether, which  are  brought  to  a  point  in  front  so  as  to 
form  a  species  of  bow.  They  were  usually  occupied 
by  a  couple  of  natives,  who  were  entirely  nude 
except  a  strip  of  cotton  cloth  about  their  loins  and  an 
odd-shaped,  comical  straw  hat.  The  hot  sun  has  no 
terrors  for  them,  and  their  black  bodies  actually  glist- 
ened under  its  fierce  rays.  Some  varieties  of  the 
fish  taken  are  excellent  and  firm  in  flesh,  as  I  can 
testify  from  those  we  had  the  following  morning  for 
breakfast. 

Nothing  of  material  interest  has  occurred  upon 
this  voyage  from  Calcutta.  The  sea  has  been,  for 
most  of  the  way,  as  calm  as  the  poorest  sailor  could 
desire.  I've  passed  a  good  share  of  the  time  on  deck, 
under  the  double  canvas  awning,  and  often  sleeping 
there  in  preference  to  the  cabin.  Our  rate  of  speed 
averaged  about  9  knots  per  hour,  and  the  distance, 
some  1,380  miles,  has  consumed — owing  to  various 
detentions  already  alluded  to  —about  eight  days.  I 
shan't  be  sorry  to  have  a  few  days  on  shore  before 
embarking  on  another  sea  trip.  The  table  fare  has 
been  in  the  main  good,  and  the  dishes  (largely  made 
up  of  ragouts)  have  been  nicely  served — a  pleasant 
change  from  much  of  the  Calcutta  and  India  cooking; 
but  I  shall  be  glad  to  get  back  to  English  tastes  and 
modes,  which  I'm  likely  to  find  on  the  P.  &0.  steam- 
er, and   which  I  take  from  Colombo  to  Hong  Kong 

I    was    not    very    pleasantly    impressed   with  the 


MADRAS    VI  TIVES.  I  53 

Madras  native.  All  are  exceedingly  dark.  Their 
skins  are  about  the  color  of  that  of  the  African, 
and  the  type  of  feature  far  less  attractive  than  that 
met  with  in  the  northern  section  of  India.  I  feel  quite 
confident  that  the  most  interesting  portion  of  this 
country — at  least  to  the  average  traveler — is  the 
Northwestern  Provinces.  As  I  shall  complete  this 
letter  after  reaching  Colombo,  I  close  for  the  present. 
Grand  Hotel,  Nuwara  Eliya,  Ceylon,  February  23^, 
jSS6.—  We  reached  Colombo  early  on  the  20th,  and 
had  a  fine  view  of  the  harbor  and  the  town,  which  is 
built  along  the  water.  The  native  houses  are  low 
and  unattractive  in  appearance,  but  some  of  the 
Government  buildings  are  substantially  built,  and  are 
quite  imposing.  The  Grand  Oriental  Hotel,  where 
I  passed  one  night,  is  one  of  the  cleanest  and  very 
best  met  with  in  the  East,  but  the  night  was  too  hot 
for  sleeping  with  any  comfort,  and  I  was  not  sorry 
after  a  visit  to  the  banker's,  and  a  short  drive  through 
the  town,  to  take  the  train  for  this  point,  which  is  in 
the  interior  of  the  island,  and  some  i5o  miles  from 
Colombo.  It  has  been  for  many  years  a  sanitarium 
for  the  residents  of  that  city,  who  are  only  too  glad 
tc  escape  the  hottest  months — March,  April  and 
May — by  resorting  to  this  elevated  region,  some 
6,200  feet  above  the  sea.  I  am  here  a  little  in  ad- 
vance, as  you  see,  of  the  fashionable  season  ;  still  I'm 
very  glad  to  be  here  and  breathe  an  atmosphere 
which  has  some  real  ozone  in  it. 


I  54  MADRAS    TO    CEYLON. 

Of  the  ride  here  I  can't  speak  in  too  high  terms, 
as  it  impressed  me  as  one  of  the  very  finest,  for  a 
railway  journey,  that  I've  taken.  For  the  first  twen- 
ty-five miles  out  from  Colombo  the  line  of  road 
passes  through  a  flat  country,  much  of  which  is  de- 
voted to  the  cultivation  of  rice,  and  we  saw  that  grain 
in  various  stages  ;  the  larger  portion  had,  however, 
been  gathered.  At  Ambepussa — or  even  below  it — 
we  entered  the  mountains,  when  the  scenery  becomes 
grand.  The  line  skirts  along  bolcl  mountain  preci- 
pices, furnishing  superb  views  of  valleys  and  moun- 
tain streams,  the  beauty  of  which  is  heightened  by 
rich  tropical  foliage,  and  some  of  the  grandest- colored 
flowers  I've  ever  seen.  There  is  such  a  rapid  suc- 
cession of  these  beautiful  views  that  one  is  kept  con- 
stantly on  the  alert  if  he  does  not  care  to  miss  any, 
and  I  certainly  was  on  the  look  out  for  most  of  them. 
At  Peredeniya  the  road  branches — one  going  to 
Kandy,  where  there  is  a  very  comfortable  hotel  and 
quite  a  resort  (as  it's  some  3,000  feet  or  more  above 
the  sea.)  The  main  line,  however,  continues  on  in  a 
south-easterly  course,  and  soon  enters  the  great  tea- 
and  .coffee-growing  districts  of  the  island.  The 
ascent  is  not,  perhaps,  so  rapid  as  before ;  still,  the 
rise  is  continuous,  and  as  the  train  passes  from  one 
ridge  to  another,  or  turns  the  sharp  projecting  bluff, 
some  beautiful  views  of  the  mountain  streams  and 
valleys  present  themselves.  We  are  now  in  the 
midst  of  the  largest  tea  plantations,  or  estates,  as  they 


TEA    PLANTATIONS.  1  55 

are  variously  styled.  A  few  years  since,  only  coffee 
was  grown,  but  a  blight  (I  believe  a  species  of  rust) 
attacked  the  plant  and  the  coffee  grower's  prospects 
were  ruined.  Fortunately  he  tried  the  tea  plant,  and 
its  success  has  been  so  great  that  he  now  talks  boldly 
of  driving  the  India  tea  from  the  English  market. 
However  true  this  may  prove,  I  believe  the  quota- 
tion of  Ceylon  tea  in  the  London  market  does  in 
some  degree  warrant  the  high  stand  the  present 
planter  claims  for.it,  and  the  crop  (now  some  8,000,- 
000  of  pounds)  it  is  estimated  will  exceed  12,000,000 
pounds  in  the  course  of  the  next  two  years. 

Nearly  the  entire  labor  employed  in  the  tea  and 
coffee  culture  is  imported  from  Southern  India,  and 
is  largely  from  a  class,  or  tribe,  called  Tamals,  the 
average  Ceylonese  holding  himself  above  this  class 
of  work.  Still,  they  are  agriculturists,  and  grow 
most  of  the  rice  that  is  produced  in  Ceylon,  and  it  is 
possible  that  in  time  they  may  fall  into  line.  This 
method  of  importing  labor  has  been  going  on  some 
thirty  years  or  more.  The  planters  tell  -me  that 
wages  are  higher  in  Ceylon  than  in  India — the  rate 
here  being  from  four  to  six  anas  (12  to  18  cents) 
per  day,  while  in  India  it  is  6  to  12  cents — in  each 
case  the  laborer  finding-  himself. 

Nearly  all  the  first- class  travelers  on  the  train  were 
tea  planters  or  friends  recently  from  England,  who 
had  come  out  to  Ceylon  to  pass  a  few  weeks.  At 
Hatton  we  left  a  number,  and  at  Kotagala  station  a 


1 56  MADRAS    TO    CEYLON. 

party  of  eight  ladies  and  gentlemen  left  the  train, 
bound  for  the  hospitable  bungalow  of  some  success- 
ful tea  planter ;  so  that  when  the  train  arrived  at 
Nanuoya,  the  terminus  of  the  line,  there  was  left  only 
some  five  or  six  travelers  (or  "globetrotters"  as 
some  times  designated,)  bound  for  this  point,  distant 
about  four  and  one-half  miles,  and  made  by  coach 
in  something  less   than  an  hour. 

We  are  very  comfortable  at  this  house,  managed 
by  a  European,  but  owing  to  rain  we  have  been  kept 
indoors.  However,  as  there  is  not  a  very  great  deal 
to  be  seen,  the  deprivation  is  not  great;  but  in  fine 
weather  there  are  some  pretty  drives,  and  for  the 
Alpine  climber  some  peaks  that  will  test  the  mettle. 

There  is  a  choice  of  hotels  in  this  place — the 
Criterion  being  almost  next  door — but  as  this  is  better 
filled,  and  as  Prince  Napoleon  (son  of  Prince  Jerome 
Napoleon)  and  his  companions  are  to  arrive  this 
evening,  I  presume  we  may  flatter  ourselves  that  we 
are  at  the  best  one. 

The  above  is  rather  a  rough  description  of  a  trip 
to  the  mountains  of  Ceylon,  but  let  me  urge  upon 
any  of  your  readers  who  contemplate  a  visit  to  this 
Island  not  to  leave  this  journey  out,  as  it  more  than 
pays;  besides  it  may  save  the  necessity  of  a  trip  to 
Java;   at  least,  I  propose  making  it  answer. 

I  have  not  encountered  any  ferocious  animals  in 
the  course  of  this  trip  to  the  mountains,  but  during  a 
visit  made  this   afternoon   to  the  botanical  gardens, 


CYNGOLESE    .1  T  HOME.  I  5/ 

which  are  some  six  miles  from  this  place,  the  man- 
ager conducted  us  to  a  tank,  about  which  we  saw 
abundant  evidence  of  there  having  been  quite  a  large 
band  of  wild  elephants,  and  as  this  is  likely  to  be 
as  near  as  I  shall  come  to  shooting  one  of  those 
enormous  beasts,  I  make  the  most  of  what  I  saw. 
They  are  very  fond  of  the  tree  fern,  and  had  they 
come  a  little  nearer  his  bungalow  might  have  gotten 
into  the  fernery,  and  played  sad  havoc  with  one  of 
the  choicest  and  most  attractive  parts  of  the  garden. 

I  return  to  Colombo  by  train  to-morrow,  and  the 
following  day  take  passage  in  the  P.  &  O.  steamer 
"Hydaspes,"  for  Penang,  Singapore  and  Hong  Kong 
— the  only  stops  being  about  a  day  each  at  the  two 
ports  first  named — and  I  shall  continue  in  this  vessel 
to  her  destination — a  trip  of  over  3,000  miles. 

I've  neglected  mentioning  the  native  Cyngolese— 
an  omission  I  wish  to  amend  by  saying  I  find  him 
very  similar,  in  feature  and  manners,  to  the  Indian 
of  the  North — his  dress  differing  in  some  essential 
features,  but  especially  in  the  absence  of  the  turban 
for  which  he  substitutes  a  comb,  precisely  the  same 
as  is  often  worn  by  young  girls,  with  us  to  keep  the 
hair  from  their  eyes.  His  wife,  on  the  other  hand, 
never  wears  any,  but  in  place  uses  a  large  pointed 
hair  pin,  usually  highly  ornamental.  Both  sexes  "do 
up"  the  back  hair  after  the  Grecian  style,  and  its 
often  puzzling  to  discover  the  sex  when  the  comb 
does  not  happen  to  be  visible. 


I  58  MADRAS   TO    CEYLON. 

I  observe  in,  Ceylon  the  same  propensity  or  pas- 
sion, on  the  part  of  the  women,  for  jewelry  as  pre- 
vails in  India,  and  enormous  rings  for  the  nostrils 
and  ears  are  worn.  In  some  instances  the  ear  is 
pierced  in  half  a  dozen  places.  In  addition  to  these 
she  wears  rings  on  her  toes  and  fingers,  and  anklets 
and  bracelets.  Even  the  men  display  a  passion  for 
finger  rings,  and  some  financiers  say  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  make  gold  a  standard  medium  in  India, 
as  it  would  be  melted  up  as  soon  as  issued  the 
mass  of  the  population  not  understanding  the  use- 
fulness of  placing  it  in  a  savings  institution  or  in 
some  solid  investment. 

In  the  first  portion  of  this  letter  I've  spoken  of 
the  Madras  fishing  boat  as  an  odd  affair  ;  and  not 
easily  described  ;  but  the  Ceylonese  one  is  still  more 
odd,  and  defies  my  powers  of  giving  any  correct 
idea  of  it.  I  thought  over  it  for  a  time,  and  finally 
settled  the  question  by  purchasing  a  model  of  one, 
and  if  I  can  manage  to  put  it  together  again  (for  it 
was  too  cumbersome  to  pack  up  in  full  rig,)  I  shall 
be  able  to  give  my  friends  a  correct  impression  of  it 
without  taxing  my  descriptive  powers. 

I  enclose  some  flowers  of  the  coffee  plant,  gather- 
ed at  the  terminus  of  the  line  of  rail ;  the  flower  of 
this  plant  is  pure  white,  with  a  decidedly  strong  per- 
fume, and  resembles  the  orange  blossom  as  much  as 
anything  I  now  think  of. 


XVII. 

CEYLON  TO   HONG  KONG. 

SJ'.MK.    "UYDASPES,"  STRAIT^   nI    MALACCA,   NEARINC   PENANG, 
ABOUT    LAT.   5.38    N.,   LONG.,  95.58  E. , 

March  ist,    1886. 

ALTHOUGH  my  stay  in  Colombo  was  short,  by 
making  good  use  of  the  time  I  managed  to 
accomplish  considerable,  and  visited  many  of  the 
places  of  interest,  a  description  of  which  was  given 
in  my  last.  I  omitted,  however,  to  speak  of  a  pleasant 
afternoon's  excursion  to  Mount  Lavinia, which  I  made 
in  company  with  Mr.  H.  H.  Sparkes,  of  Bangalore, 
a  fellow  passenger  from  Madras  to  Colombo  on  the 
steamer  Argo.  Mount  Lavinia  is  a  small  eminence 
on  the  coast,  some  ten  miles  south  of  Colombo,  and 
is  reached  by  rail.  It  was  formerly  the  residence  of 
Sir  E.  Barnes,  one  of  the  Governors  of  Colombo, 
and  the  marine  villa  built  by  him  is  now  the  Grand 
Hotel.    The  point  on  which  it  is  located  is  open  to 


l60  CEYLON    TO   HONG  KONG. 

the  sea  on  three  sides,  and  it  is  rare  that  one  does 
not  get  a  refreshing  breeze.  As  we  had  planned  to 
take  a  late  lunch,  or  "tiffin,"  there,  our  appetites 
were  none  the  less  keen  from  the  long  wait,  and  also 
from  the  tempting  dishes  that  were  supplied.  The 
whitebait  was  cooked  to  perfection,  and  the  tender- 
loin steak  was  the  best  I've  found  in  India.  All 
was  washed  down  with  a  bottle  of  excellent  Rhenish 
wine. 

On  our  way  to  and  from  Mount  Lavinia  we  passsd 
many  of  the  bungalows,  of  the  European  residents, 
which  are  prettily  placed  in  groves  of  cocoanut 
palms,  with  their  fronts  directly  on  the  sea.  Many 
are  of  modern  styles,  but  all  are  arranged  with  refer- 
ence to  catching  every  breath  of  air  coming  from  the 
water,  as  Colombo  is  very  hot  and  one  requires  all 
the  air  that  is  stirring.  The  line  of  rail  also  passes 
near  the  Galle-Face-Esplanade  and  Club  House, 
where  we  saw  a  large  assemblage  of  Europeans  and 
natives  indulging  in  various  sports,  such  as  polo, 
pony  racing,  tennis,  cricket  and  golf.  It  certainly  is 
most  creditable  to  the  English  residents  that  they  keep 
alive  these  many  exercises,  as  one  would  hardly  look 
for  them  in  a  place  where  the  heat  is  so  excessive; 
but  they  usually  practice  just  at  sunset,  when  the 
direct  rays  of  the  sun  have  lost  much  of  their  power. 
The  sports  are  most  healthful  and  prevent  the  liver 
from  becoming  torpid — one  of  the  consequences  oi 
inactivity  in  hot  climates. 


THE  JIX-RIt  KI-SH.  Ill:  I  6  [ 

The  Colombo  Club  is  one  of  the  pleasant  resorts 
of  the  island,  and  thanks  to  Mr.  A.  Forsyth,  of  the 
firm  of  Delmege,  Reed  &  Co.,  I  was  given  not  only 
an  excellent  dinner,  but  also  enjoyed  the  privileges 
of  the  Club  during  my  stay;  a  compliment  I  fully  ap- 
preciated, as  the  club  house  is  so  constructed,  and 
so  placed  with  reference  to  the  sea,  that  if  there 
is  a  cool  spot  on  the  island  it  is  apt  to  be  found 
there,  and  I  think  my  friends  on  Long  Island  owe  to 
the  comfort  there,  as,  also,  the  facilities  furnished  for 
letter  writing,  some  of  the  missives  dispatched  to 
them. 

I  had  in  Colombo  my  first  experience  in  a  jinricki- 
shaw,  a  species  of  perambulator,  or  baby  carriage 
of  large  growth. 

The  Coolie  who  draws  you,  lowers  the  shafts  and 
you  take  your  seat,  when  he  steps  between  them 
and,  raising  them  to  the  height  of  his  waist,  trots  off 
with  his  load.  This  two-wheeled  vehicle  is  provided 
with  a  top,  is  hung  on  light  springs,  and  is  very  com- 
fortable indeed.  I  timed  the  Coolie  that  brought  me 
from  the  Club  to  the  Grand  Oriental  Hotel,  distance, 
about  one  mile — and  he, was  some  fifteen  minutes 
making  the  trip.  As  I'm  likely  to  use  this  species 
of  carriage  very  extensively  in  my  travels  in  China 
and  Japan,  it  occurred  to  me  that  some  description 
might  be  of  interest. 

We  left  the  pretty  harbor  of  Colombo,  on  the 
■afternoon  of  February  2  5th,   and    have  been  since 


I  62  CEYLON    TO   HONG  KONG. 

making  good  progress  toward  Penang — the  ship 
averaging  some  260  miles  per  day — about  as  good 
speed  as  most  of  them  make.  She  is  of  the  old  type 
of  steamers,  with  flush  deck,  but  I  find  her  very  com- 
fortable indeed.  My  cabin  is  on  the  port  side — a 
point  to  be  remembered  in  making  the  passage  to 
the  Eastward — and  by  the  aid  of  a  species  of  wind- 
sail  in  the  large  square  port  a  constant  current  of  air 
is  passing  directly  over  .me,  making  it  possible  to 
write  with  the  thermometer  marking  S5  degrees  and 
over.  We  passed,  this  morning,  shortly  after  break- 
fast, Acheen,  the  most  northerly  point  of  the  Island 
of  Sumatra.  The  land  is  very  bold,  and  it  makes  a 
most  excellent  point  of  departure  for  Penang — lying 
almost  due  east. 

We  have  an  unusually  large  number  of  first  cabin 
passengers — about  fifty.  Some  of  these,  like  myself, 
are  making  the  grand  tour  du  Monde.  Several  of 
them  I've  met  before  in  my  travels  in  India,  and  it's 
very  agreeable  comparing  notes  on  the  country  pas- 
sed over,  or  scenes  that  each  have  encountered  ;  but 
the  larger  share  are  temporary  residents  ol  the 
Straits,  Settlements,  China,  etc.,  returning  from  a 
good  long  vacation  in  England  to  resume  their 
various  duties.  All  the  various  houses  of  the  East 
seem  to  encourage  their  employees  by  giving  them 
liberal  leaves  of  absence  without  reduction  of  pay — 
I  think  one  year  out  of  every  five.  It  seems  to  in- 
sure a  heartier  interest  in  their  work,  besides  render- 


HARBOR    OF  PENANG.  I  63 

ing  the  individual  more  vigorous  and  better  able  to 
resist  the  debilitating  effects  of  this  hot  climate. 

I  stop  writing  for  the  present,  but  will  resume 
again  after  leaving  Penang,  where  we  are  due  some 
time  to-morrow  afternoon. 

P.  &  0.  Steamer  "Hydaspes"  March  3rd,  1S86.— 
The  approach  to  the  harbor  of  Penang  was  an  agree- 
able one,  as  we  skirted  alonor  the  shores  of  Penane 
Island  for  many  miles.  High  hills,  almost  moun- 
tains, come  directly  down  to  the  water's  edge — 
heavily  wooded,  save  where  the  farmer  or  planter 
has  made  a  clearing.  As  we  approached  the  anchor- 
age we  passed  numerous  fish  wiers,  made  by  plant- 
ing stakes  in  a  square  form.  I  did  not  learn  the 
method  of  "•ettino-  said  fish  into  these  inclosures,  but 
presume  there  is  one.  We  anchored  about  4  p.  m. 
on  the  2d,  and,  finding  there  would  be  a  delay  of 
five  hours,  a  party  of  us  started  for  the  shore  in  one 
of  the  native  boats,  called  sampan — a  triangular- 
shapd  affair.  The  stern  is  broader  than  the  bow, 
and  the  former  terminates  in  a  couple  of  pointed  and 
upward  curved  gunwales — the  rower  standing  and 
facincr  the  bow. 

As  soon  as  possible  after  landing  we  secured  a 
carriage,  as  the  sun  was  still  hot.  and  made  a  tour  of 
the  town.  We  also  drove  some  four  miles  into  the 
country,  to  a  pretty  garden  and  water-fall.  We 
passed  on  the  way  several  carriages  and  dog  carts 
driven    by    Chinamen — all   stylish — and   one  of   the 


164  CEYLON   TO  HONG  KONG. 

finest  bungalows  we  passed  proved  to  be  the  resi- 
dence of  a  wealthy  Chinese.  In  truth,  "John  China- 
man "  is  fast  driving  out  the  original  proprietors  of 
this  land — the  Malays.  Leaving  Penang  at  1 1  p.  m. 
on  the  2d,  we  continued  our  course  down  the  Straits 
of  Malacca  towards  Singapore,  which  is  about  Lati- 
tude 1.200  N. — at  least  so  my  map  says,  this  will  be 
the  lowest  point  reached.  After  leaving  there  our 
course  will  be  northward  and  toward  cooler  lati- 
tudes. 

One  of  the  noticeable  features  of  these  very  low 
latitudes  is  the  position  of  some  of  the  heavenly 
bodies — as,  for  instance,  the  north  star,  so  prominent 
in  our  country,  is  here  so  near  the  horizon  that  it  is 
hardly  visible  to  the  naked  eye — much  below  5  de- 
grees. The  Southern  Cross,  a  well-defined  collec- 
tion of  stars,  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere,  although 
not  an  early  riser,  is  very  conspicuous  when  once 
up,  and  the  arrangement  of  its  four,  bright  stars 
forms  an  admirable  Roman  crucifix  ;  but  the  Great 
Bear  still  retains  its  prominence  in  the  heavens,  and 
I  don't  think  anyone  from  our  clime  feels  like  ex- 
changing it  for  the  Southern  beauty.  Its  "  pointers  " 
are  still  as  true  to  their  work  and  indicate  as  accur- 
ately the  position  of  the  Pole  Star,  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  the  light  from  it — owing  to  the  density  of 
the  medium  near  the  horizon  — fails  to  reach  us. 

The  straits    have    been    exceedingly    warm — the 
thermometer  often  marking  from  87   to  90  degrees 


STR.  I  I  TS  OF  M.  1 1. .ICC. I.  ]  65 

and  with  but  little  breeze.  I  observed  from  the  color 
of  the  water  that  we  were  on  soundings,  and  ques- 
tioning our  captain  concerning  it,  learned  that  it 
does  not  exceed  six  or  seven  fathoms  for  much  of 
the  way,  and  that  the  channel  is  a  narrow  one.  He 
added  that  in  former  days,  before  the  coast  was  so 
well  lighted,  vessels  were  often  compelled  to  anchor 
at  night 

The  Strait  Settlements,  of  which  Penang,  Malacca 
and  Singapore  are  the  principal  towns,  are  all  under 
a  Colonial  Governor  (English),  who  resides  at  Sing- 
apore, and  since  the  threatened  Russian  war  of  last 
year,  liberal  provision  has  been  made  for  the  forti- 
fication of  its  most  important  harbor,  Singapore, 
where  extensive  earth-works  have  been  constructed, 
We  reach  that  port  early  to-morrow,  and,  as  we 
take  on  quite  a  large  supply  of  coal,  some  time  will 
be  necessary,  thus  enabling  us  to  have  a  good  look 
at  that  rather  extensive  and  important  port — one  of 
the  most  so,  in  fact,  in  the  route  to  the  far  East. 

I  leave  off  for  the  present,  and  will  continue  this 
after  sailing  from  Singapore. 

At  Sea,  March  ytk,  1886. — We  entered  the  harbor 
of  Singapore  on  the  morning  of  the  4th — a  very 
snug  one  indeed — and  where  the  P.  &  O.  and  other 
steam  lines  have  their  piers — most  convenient — as 
the  water  is  of  sufficient  depth  to  permit  ships  lying 
alongside  wharves,  as  with  us — one  of  the  very  few 
instances  met  with  in  the  course  of  this  journey. 


I  66  CEYLON    TO   HONG  KONG. 

"  Ship  sails  at  5  p.m.,  "  was  the  announcement  on 
the  bulletin  board  of  our  steamer  shortly  after  she 
had  been  laid  alongside  her  wharf,  so  that  all  who 
had  the  intention  of  visiting  the  city  were  soon  seek- 
ing a  carriage  to  take  them — the  distance  being 
some  four  miles.  I  looked  over  the  carriage  stand 
and  picked  out  what  I  thought  the  most  active  of 
the  ponies,  for  none  were  animals  more  than  ten 
or  twelve  hands  hia-h.  The  one  I  selected  was  not 
a  beauty,  and  was  rather  thin  in  flesh  ;  but  as  I  had 
some  six  hours'  work  out  of  him,  I  can  testify 
to  the  fact  that  he  was  "  a  good  one." 

Nearly  all  these  animals  are  brought  from  the 
mountain  districts  of  Sumatra — a  section  of  it  called 
Deli  furnishing  the  principal  portion.  The  driver 
seemed  to  sympathize  with  my  impatience  to  reach 
the  city,  and  kept  his  pony  at  a  good  pace.  We 
were  soon  at  the  business  office  of  Behn,  Meyr  & 
Co. — passing  on  the  way  lots  of  other  vehicles, 
among  which  were  numerous  jin-ricki-shaws.  I  was 
very  kindly  received  by  one  of  the  members  of  the 
firm,  arfd  after  transacting  my  little  business  affair 
was  urged  to  return  at  i  o'clock  and  lunch  with  him 
at  the  Singapore  Club,  which  invitation  I  accepted. 
I  then  drove  to  the  office  of  our  Consul,  Major 
Studor,  who  gave  me  the  latest  information  from  our 
country  and  also  a  supply  of  New  York  papers — the 
only  ones  I  had  seen  since  leaving  Venice,  on  Dec- 
ember 3d,  last.     The  Major  has  been  for  many  years 


SIATGAPORJi.  I  67 

our  representative  at  this  city,  and  I  learned,  was 
very  popular.  The  lunch  at  the  Club  proved  to  be 
a  good  one,  and  was  a  most  agreeable  change  from 
ship  fare.  "  Ye  heathen  Chinee,"  in  a  white  dress 
and  with  a  long  pig-tail  waited  upon  us  and  did  his 
work  well.  My  host  stated  "  that  he  was  a  good 
waiter,  but  required  watching." 

The  Club  House  is  one  of  the  finest  buildings  of 
the  city,  and  its  location,  directly  facing  the  harbor, 
insures  a  breeze  at  almost  all  hours. 

I  was  fortunate  in  finding  at  Singapore  a  number 
of  letters  from  home  friends,  for  which  I  wish  here  to 
acknowledge  my  thanks- 

On  leaving  Singapore  we  had  a  superb  view  of  its 
harbor  and  the  surrounding  hills,  which  serve  as  an 
admirable  setting  for  the  lower  town.  Conspicuous 
among  its  tropical  vegetation  is  the  so-called  "  trav- 
eler's palm,"  the  leaves  of  which  shoot  out,  at  a  con- 
siderable height,  from  a  central  stalk  in  a  fan-like 
form,  and  are  most  graceful.  It  derives  its  name 
from  the  fact  that  the  weary  traveler  can,  by  cutting 
an  incision  in  its  bark,  draw  from  the  tree  a  cup  of 
•cool  and  refreshing  water. 

Some  hours  after  leaving  Singapore  we  passed 
the  meridian  of  io5  degrees  and  57  minutes  East 
Longitude,  and  as  New  York  City  is  74  degrees  and 
3  minutes  West,  it  placed  us  as  near  as  practicable 
180  degrees  from  that  point,  or  half  way  around  the 
world.     As  it  may  interest  vou  to  learn  the  distance 


l6S  CEYLON    TO   HONG   KONG. 

traveled  in  order  to  reach   this  prominent  position,  I 
append  a  list  of  the  various  journeys: 

Miles, 

From  New  York  City  to  Queenstown  by  sea 2,601 

From  Queenstown  to  Liverpool  by  sea 221 

From  Liverpool  to  London  by  land,  about 180 

From  London  to  Paris,  by  land  and  water,  about  220 

From  Paris  to  Venice  by  land,  about 720 

From  Venice  to  Brindisi,  by  water,  about  395 

From  Brindisi  to  Alexandria,  by  water,  about 825 

From  Alexandria  to  Suez,  by  rail,  about 220 

From  Suez  to  Aden,  by  water,  about 1,308 

From  Aden  to  Bombay,  by  water,  about 1,664 

From  Bombay  to  Lahore,  via  Jeypore  and  Delhi,  by  rail, 

about 1,300 

From  Lahore  to  Calcutta,  via  Allahabad  and  Benares,  by 

rail,  about 1,300 

From  Calcutta  to   Madras,  by  water,  about 770 

From  Madras  to  Colombo,  by  water,  about 610 

From  Colombo  to  Penang,  by  water,  about 1,278 

From  Penang  to  Singapore,  by  water,  about 381 


13.993 

And,  adding  to  these    the  distance  likely    to    be 
made  in  further  journeys  to  the  Eastward,  viz: 

From  Singapore  to  Hong  Kong,  by  water,  about 1,437 

From  Hong  Kong  to  Shanghai,  by   water,  about 870 

From  Shanghai  to  Nagasaki,    by    water,  about 500 

From  Nagasaki    to    Yokohama,  by  water,  about 735 

From  Yokohama  to  San  Francisco,  by   water,  about  4, 500 

From  San  Francisco  to  New  York,  by  rail,  about 3,300 

11,342 
Or,  total  of  distances  traveled  in  a  tour  around  the  world 
— starting  from  New  York  City  and  going  Eastward, 
about 25,335 

We  are  steaming  alone   finely  through  the  China 


THE    CHINA    SEA.  I  69 

Sea,  and  with  every  indication  that  we  will  be  in 
Hong  Kong  by  the  ioth  or  1  ith  of  March — a  haven 
all  will  be  glad  to  reach,  as  fifteen  days  at  sea  is  no 
slight  test  of  one's  powers  of  endurance,  and  during 
the  last  days  of  our  voyage  we  have  been  subject  to 
rather  a  strong  northeast  "  Monsoon  '' — Chinese  for 
"big  wind*' — which  has  shaken  us  up  considerably, 
and  placed  our  amiability  to  no  slight  test. 


XVIII. 
HONG  KONG,  CANTON   AND    MACAO. 

HONG    KONG    HOTEL,   HONG    KONG,    CHINA, 
TEMP.     BETWEEN  65°  AND  70°. 

ManJi  21st,  1SS6. 

AS  predicted  in  my  last,  land  was  sighted  very- 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  ioth,  but  it  was 
somewhat  obscured  by  a  fog,  which  frequently  pre- 
vails along  the  coast  during  this  month.  However, 
by  dint  of  persevering,  our  captain  managed  to  "get 
hold"  of  one  of  the  numerous  islands  which  lie  to 
the  south  and  west  of  this,  and  which  he  recognized 
in  the  fog.  Skirting  along  it,  we  came  upon  the 
Island  of  Hong  Kong,  which  should  be  written  (or, 
rather  is  called  by  the  Chinese)*'  Heung  Kong,"  signi- 
fying "  good  harbor."  The  approach  to  this  city  is  one 
the  finest  I've  ever  seen.  Bold  hills,  almost  moun- 
tains, lie  on  either  shore,  and  the  water  is  sufficiently 
deep  to  permit  the  larger  class  of  vessels  to  steam 
close  along  them.     The  first  peep  you  get    of  the 


.- 


THE  "  GOOD  HARBOR"  I  ~  I 

city,  coming-  from  the  Southward  is  of  some  of  its 
suburban  villas,  perched  high  up  the  mountain  sides. 
Prominent  among  these  is  the  so-called  "  Douglas 
Castle,"  and  near  it  a  Roman  Catholic  sanitarium, 
built  of  light  granite;  and,  from  its  commanding  sit- 
uation, a  very  conspicuous  object.  These  prepare 
one  for  the  more  extended  view  which  you  get 
as  the  steamer  makes  a  sharp  turn  to  the  right, 
when  the  entire  city  and  its  beautiful  harbor  come 
in  view.  The  latter  seems  entirely  enclosed  save 
on  the  side  you  enter,  but  a  close  observation  shows 
that  there  is  a  break  in  the  mountain  through  which 
vessels  departing  for  the  North  make  their  way. 
When  the  harbor  and  city  were  in  full  sight,  I  could 
not  avoid  exclaiming  :  ''This  is  certainly  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  picturesque  sights  I've  ever  be- 
held, and  how  is  it  I've  never  heard  more  of  it?' 
The  water  was  dotted  over  with  Chinese  junks, 
ships  and  steamers,  and  the  city,  built  on  terraces, 
stood  out  boldly  and  grandly  from  the  mountain  side, 
and  seemed  almost  to  say:  'Am  I  not  fair  to  look 
upon  ?" 

We  were  not  permitted  to  reach  the  wharf  before 
numerous  "  sampans  "  (Chinese  boats)  were  along- 
side, and  runners  from  various  quarters  of  the  city 
boarded  our  steamer  to  secure  the  Chinese  passen- 
gers, quite  a  large  number  of  whom  we  had  brought 
from  Penang  and  Singapore.  The  manner  in  which 
they  handled  their  boats  and  boarded  us — the  steamer 


172  HONGKONG,   CANTON  AND  MACAO. 

running  all  the  while  at  fair  speed — excited  both 
our  curiosity  and  admiration.  I  frequently,  after 
this,  had  occasion  to  use  the  harbor  boats,  and  found 
them  skilfully  handled.  Most  generally  they  are  in 
the  hands  of  women,  and  in  some  instances  I've 
found  a  mother,  two  daughters  and  a  son  composing 
the  crew.  These  families  rarely  leave  the  boat,  and 
make  it  their  home. 

The  pleasant  impressions  produced  on  our  entering 
the  harbor  were  not  dissipated  on  landing.  The 
houses  are  substantially  built.  The  streets  of  the 
city  are  of  good  width,  beautifully  kept,  and,  I  should 
imagine,  the  drainage  very  complete.  The  principal 
thoroughfare,  running  parallel  with  the  shores  of  the 
harbor,  is  called  Queen's  Road,  and  has  some  of  the 
finest  shops  upon  it.  The  Europeans  have  posses- 
sion of  the  part  near  the  hotel,  but  the  Chinese  are 
possesed  of  equally  good  buildings  but  short  distances 
from  it,  and  my  experience  is  that  they  sell  consider- 
ably cheaper.  It  is  very  evident  that  the  mass  of 
Europeans  throughout  the  East  "  are  not  here  for 
their  health,"  but  as  they  usually  have  but  one  price 
for  their  wares,  and  stick  to  these  figures — which  is 
not  the  case  with  the  native  dealer — travelers  are  apt 
to  patronize  them  when  in  need  of  staple  articles. 

One  of  the  most  striking  features  of  the  city,  to 
the  newly-arrived,  is  the  entire  absence  of  carriages, 
or  the  usual  vehicles,  of  cities,  but  in  their  place 
you  have  a  host  of  jin-ricki-shaws  and  chairs,  the 


THE  JJN-RICKI-SH.  III'.  I 


/  J 


latter  a  light  bamboo  affair  with  a  moveable  top 
and  easily  carried  by  two  men.  As  the  city  is 
built  upon  the  sides  of  the  mountain,  much  ol  the 
travel  is  up  and  down  hill,  and  they  are  in  great 
favor.  Nearly  every  house  has  one  or  more,  with 
regularly  assigned  bearers,  who  do  very  Little  else  ; 
but  there  are  numerous  public  ones,  and  whenever 
you  leave  the  hotel  a  number  rush  to  secure  your 
patronage,  and  as  the  tariff  is  very  light  one  is 
tempted  to  use  them  frequently.  The  jin-ricki-shaw 
is  rather  better  for  the  level  road,  as  you  are  taken 
along  at  a  good  pace,  and  can  make  some  five  miles 
or  more  per  hour. 

One  of  the  attractive  features  of  the  city  is  its 
public  gardens,  some  distance  up  the  sides  of  the 
mountain,  where  one  finds  beautifully-shaded  walks 
and  a  rare  collection  of  tropical  and  northern  plants. 
The  present  temperature,  averaging  about  70 
degrees,  is  favorable  to  the  latter,  and  I  find  some 
superb  specimens  of  roses  and  other  valued  northern 
flowers.  Flowers  are  also  sold  in  the  streets,  and  at 
very  low  figures.  A  large  basket  can  be  purchased 
for  something  more  than  fifty  cents. 

Adjoining  these  gardens  are  numerous  private 
lawn  tennis  courts;  where  both  ladies  and  gentlemen 
indulge  in  this  healthful  game.  To  the  credit  of 
the  English  be  it  said,  that  wherever  they  establish 
themselves  they  are  sure  to  introduce  their  healthful 
sports.     I  attended,  a  few  days  since,   the  meet  of 


1/4  HONG  KONG,   CANTON  AND  MACAO. 

the  "  Hong  Kong  Amateur  Athletic  Sports,"  pat- 
ronized by  the  chief  officers  of  the  Government, 
both  civil  and  military,  and  found  the  principal  mer- 
chants, with,  their  assistants,  taking  part.  Prizes 
were  offered  for  the  winners  and  every  inducement 
held  out  for  the  young  men  to  participate,  and  even 
the  veterans  contested  in  a  foot  race  for  a  piece  of 
plate.  There  were  all  sorts  of  contests,  such  as  fiat 
and  hurdle  races,  high  and  long  jumps,  "  putting  the 
shot,"  and  tugs  of  war,  and  most  of  those  who  took 
part  showed  splendid  physiques.  The  attendance 
was  almost  general  on  the  part  of  the  Europeans, 
while  a  large  number  of  Chinese  were  also  on  the 
ground. 

I  find  here,  as  I've  done  in  most  of  their  colonies, 
another  excellent  English  organization,  and  that  is 
their  police,  made  up  of  a  few  Europeans  and  some 
Chinese,  but  mainly  of  Sikhs  from  about  Delhi  and 
Lahore,  India.  The  latter  seem  to  be  entrusted 
with  important  posts,  and  the  night  service,  when 
they  are  usually  armed  with  rifles,  is  largely  per- 
formed by  them.  They  wear  a  dark-blue  uniform, 
but  retain  the  red  turban  of  their  native  country,  to 
which  they  return,  after  a  certain  number  of  years 
abroad,  with  a  life  pension. 

Hong  Kong's  position  renders  it  an  admirable  point 
for  excursions  in  various  directions.  Manila,  Canton, 
Macao  and  other  places  are  easily  reached — the  two 
latter  in  less  than  a  day's  sail.  As  Camton  is  regard- 


CANTON  SI  (i  I  IIS.  I  75 

ed  as  a  typical  Chinese  city,  and  rather  the  least 
dirty  and  "  smelly,"  I  made  my  first  visit  there.  A 
regular  line  of  steamboats  ply  between  this  city  and 
Canton.  They  are  modeled  after  our  North  River 
boats.  The  one  we  went  on  is  called  the  "Han  Kow,1' 
after  a  large  city  on  the  Yangtsze  River,  and  where 
she  formerly  ran.  We  found  her  exceedingly  com- 
fortable— the  lower  deck  beine  devoted  to  third-class 
passengers,  the  after  saloon  to  seconds,  and  the  first- 
class  occupying  the  forward  saloon.  Visiting  the 
lower  deck  of  this  steamer,  in  the  course  of  the 
journey,  I  saw  as  motley  a  crowd  as  could  well  be 
imagined,  most  of  whom  were  smoking,  and  at  the 
same  time  listening  to  a  professional  story  teller,  who 
occupied  a  prominent  seat;  he  had  commenced  his 
story  as  the  steamer  left,  the  wharf,  and  it  would  not 
end  till  the  boat  reached  her  destination,  when  he 
would  hand  around  the  hat.  I  was  told  that  he  was 
a  great  favorite  and  drew  so  well,  that  the  company 
gave  him  a  free  pass,  no  doubt  in  the  view  of  in- 
creasing the  travel  by  this  line. 

There  were  only  six  of  us,  and  chiefly  old  com- 
panions from  the  ''  Hydaspes."  Captain  Lloyd 
was  exceedingly  polite,  and  pointed  out  the  chief 
objects  of  interest  along  the  Canton,  or  Pearl  River, 
as  it  now  appears  on  the  maps.  Chief  among  these 
attractions  were  some  islands  and  the  Bogue  Forts, 
which  the  Chinese  have  greatly  strengthened  since 
or  during  their  trouble  with  the  French.    The   coun- 


1/6  HONGKONG,   CANTON  AND  MACAO. 

try  along  the  river  is  generally  flat  and  devoted  to 
rice  culture.  At  Whompoo,  some  miles  down  the 
river,  and  near  the  barrier,  we  passed  the  United 
States  war  steamer  "Marion,"  Capt.  Miller.  It  was 
very  refreshing  to  see  our  flag  and  feel  I  was  under 
the  protection  of  American  guns.  She  has  since 
been  joined  by  the  "Alert,"  of  lighter  draught,  which 
is  able  to  go  directly  up  to  the  city  and  lie  off  that 
portion  of  it  occupied  by  Europeans.  Our  Consul, 
Mr.  Seymour,  had  asked  for  this  display  of  force, 
fearing  that  the  treatment  received  by  the  Chinese 
on  the  Pacific  coast  would  result  in  retaliation  out 
here.  Perhaps  not  at  present,  but  when  the  friends 
of  the  murdered  and  persecuted  Chinese  begin  to  re- 
turn home  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that 
their  reports  may  stir  up  bad  feeling,  of  which  the 
missionaries  and  a  few  public  officials  are  liable  to  be 
the  victims.  Still,  I  wandered  through  all  sections 
of  the  city,  attended  only  by  a  guide — and  he  a 
Chinese — and  did  not  meet  with  any  insults,  except 
that  I  was  called  a  "foreign  devil;"  but  that  is  a 
title  that  Europeans  have  long  since  enjoyed,  and  I 
believe  their  friends,  the  English,  are  alike  so  desig- 
nated; and  as  a  member  of  the  club  here  told  me  he 
had,  before  knowing  me,  bet  that  I  was  an  English- 
man, I  fancy  I  could  pass  muster  as  one  of  the 
Chinaman's  friends, 

The  city  of  Canton,  as  you  approach  it  from    the 
river,  does  not  present  either  an  attractive  or  impos- 


CHINESE  A  Rt  'III  I  EC  TURE.  I  7  7 

ing  appearance.  Nearly  all  the  houses  are  low — be- 
ing of  a  single  story — of  a  grey  color,  with  no  preten- 
tions to  architectural  effect.  The  few  prominent 
structures  that  are  striking  are  the  pagodas  and  the 
pawnbrokers'  houses,  the  latter  often  three  stories 
high,  and  having  peculiar  shaped  gable -ends.  I  was 
told  that,  in  addition  to  being  devoted  to  the  special 
trade  of  their  owners,  they  were  often  patronized  as 
store  houses.  Being  well  built  and  towering  high 
above  other  buildings,  they  are  not  approachable  by 
thieves  from  the  roof,  as  the  average  Chinese  house 
is. 

Our  steamer  was  not  permitted  to  reach  the  wharf 
before  she  was  literally  surrounded  by  a  swarm  of 
river  boats,  seeking  the  patronage  of  the  Chinese  pass- 
engers and  of  the  freight.  These  Canton  River 
boats  are  a  feature  of  that  city,  and  must  number 
many  thousand.  The  population  of  them  is  set  down 
as  between  two  and  four  hundred  thousand,  not  a 
member  of  which  own  or  occupy  an  acre  of  ground 
and  who  live  and  bring  up  families  on  their  small 
craft.  The  peculiar  shape  of  some,  styled  the  slipper 
boat,  from  their  resemblance  to  the  ordinary  slipper, 
is  very  noticeable.  The  front  portion  is  covered  over 
and  painted,  and  the  rowers  propel  them  from  the 
rear  part,  and  they  force  them  along  at  high  speed. 

Having  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Mr.  Cunningham, 
the  agent  of  the  house  of  Russell  &  Co.,  in  Canton, 
I  was  met  at  the  boat  by  that  gentleman,  who  kindly 


I78  HONG  KONG,   CANTON  AND  MACAO. 

asked  me  to  his  home,  and  had  already  secured  me 
a  guide  for  visiting  the  chief  objects  of  interest  in  the 
city;  and  here  I  wish  to  tender  my  thanks,  not  only 
to  him,  but  also  to  Mr.  Huntington,  the  representa- 
tive of  the  house  here,  who  has  been  as  kind  as  pos- 
sible— putting  me  up  at  the  club,  dining  and  giving 
me  letters  to  their  various  houses  in  other  parts  of 
China,  all  of  which  kindness  and  attention  I  fully  ap- 
preciate. 

Having  but  a  limited  time  to  devote  to  Canton,  I 
had  no  sooner  deposited,  my  valise  at  the  comfort- 
fortable  bungalow  of  Russell  &  Co. — for  this  firm 
own  the  residences  of  their  agents  in  the  principal 
Chinese  cities — than  I  made  arrangements  with  Mac, 
the  guide,  for  a  tour,  that  afternoon,  through  the  por- 
tion of  the  city  nearest  our  home,  and  accordingly 
visited  quite  a  number  of  shops  and  a  few  of  the 
temples,  also  some  of  their  manufactories.  The 
average  Chinese  temple  is  rather  a  striking  struc- 
ture, and  consists  of  several  courts — the  high  altar 
or  seat  of  the  chief  god  to  which  the  temple  is 
devoted,  being  one  of  the  inner  buildings.  The  im- 
age, God  of  War,  is  a  favorite  one, being  represented 
by  a  man  of  large  statue,  with  long  black  beard,  and 
with  rich  Chinese  robes.  I  saw  very  few  worship- 
ers, and  I  visited  temples  at  various  hours,  but  I  did 
observe  a  good  deal  of  burning  of  tapers  in  jars  in 
front  of  their  images.  The  practice,  too,  of  burning 
these  tapers   in  niches  at  the  door  of  their  shops  is 


P.  I  CODA  S  A. YD  /A'CEVSE.  I  J O. 

almost  universal,  the  object  of  which  is,  so  far  as  I 
could  gather,  to  invoke  good  fortune  upon  their  busi- 
ness affairs.  Some  Europeans  regard  this  burning 
of  tapers  as  having  a  purifying  effect  upon  the  atmos- 
phere of  Canton,  and  to  a  certain  degree  it  disinfects 
the  city.  This  seems  reasonable,  and  if  true,  should 
be  encouraged,  as  its  odors  are  horrible.  A  most 
striking  architectural  feature  of  these  temples  is  the 
peculiar  and  concave  form  of  the  ridge,  which  usually 
terminates  in  the  figure  of  a  dragon.  The  eaves  are 
also  similarly  curved  and  have  dragon  ornaments. 

Their  streets  are  exceedingly  narrow — should  not 
think  them  over  six  to  eight  feet — and  their  widest 
thoroughfare,  the  street  of  Benevolence  and  Love, 
which  is  in  the  old  town  and  extends  from  the  east 
to  the  west  gate,  can't  be  more  than  twelve  feet.  Of 
course,  there  are  no  sidewalks,  and  two  good-sized 
chairs  just  manage  to  pass  each  other.  I  did  all  my 
sight-seeing  in  a  Sedan  chair,  and  the  guide  claimed 
a  similar  luxury. 

The  pagodas  are  circular  towers  of  several  stories, 
some  reaching  nine.  They  are  built  of  brick  and 
have  balconies  at  each  story.  I  believe  the  original 
object  of  them  was  for  the  preservation  of  some  relic 
of  Buddha,  but  they  have  since  filled  the  purpose,  in 
Chinese  philosophy  or  religion,  of  averting  evils  — 
at  least  that  is  as  near  their  present  purpose  as  I 
could  get  at. 

My  second  day's    visit   in    the  city  was   nearly  a 


l8o  HONG  KONG,   CANTON  A. YD  MACAO 

repetition  of  the  first,  save  that  I  started  earlier  and 
saw  it  after  its  morning  ablutions,  and  must  do  it  the 
credit  of  admittino-  that  there  were  fewer  and  less  dis- 
agreeable  smells.  I  ascended  the  five-story  pagoda, 
which  is  at  the  extreme  northern  end  of  the  city,  and 
is  built  upon  the  wall — for  Old  Canton  is  walled  in, 
and  its  parapets  have  a  number  of  old  iron  guns 
mounted  upon  them.  The  view  from  this  pagoda 
is  very  extensive  and  covers  the  entire  city, 
which  presents  the  same  grey,  sombre  appearance  as 
when  approaching  it  by  the  river.  In  this  pagoda 
were  several  images  of  heroic  size — one,  I  believe, 
representing  Buddha. 

I  took  some  refreshments  and  then  continued  my 
journey,  directing  my  steps  towards  the  Examination 
Hall— an  institution  where  candidates  for  political 
and  literary  honors  are  examined  every  three  years. 
It  is  capable  of  holding  at  one  time  more  than  ten 
thousand  persons,  who  are  assigned  a  species  of  cell, 
given  a  text,  and  at  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours  are 
compelled  to  hand  in  their  treatment  of  it.  Three 
days  are  consumed  in  their  examination — a  different 
subject  being  given  each  day.  Of  this  large  number 
of  candidates  something  more  than  ioo  are  accepted, 
and  they  again  have  to  pass  a  final  examination  at 
Pekin,  if  they  wish  to  attain  the  highest  grades.  This 
is  civil  service  examination  of  the  highest  order, 
but  I  learn  it  does  not  bring  about  honesty  in  orifice, 
for   the   reason   that   the  Government   itself  is    not 


A   CHINESE  LUNCH.  I  8  I 

honest,  and  cares  not  what  the  methods  of  the  Man- 
darins are  in  collecting  taxes,  provided  the  necessary 
funds  reach  the  capitol.  The  wonder  is  how  a 
government  so  conducted,  could  have  existed  for 
4,000  years  without  any  material  change  of  form. 

After  leaving  the  Examination  Hall  Mac,  the 
guide,  suggested  lunch,  and  took  me  to  what  he  said 
was  a  swell  Chinese  restaurant.  The  landlord,  Tin- 
fuk  greeted  us,  on  entering,  much  as  Delmonico 
would,  and  we  were  assigned  the  most  select  apart- 
ment. Mac,  who  was  for  22  years  the  servant  of 
Archdeacon  Gray,  of  the  English  Episcopal  Church, 
I  naturally  inferred  knew  how  to  order  a  dinner,  and 
he  did  order  one — but  he  did  most  of  the  eating,  as 
I  could  not  stand  Chinese  cooking  and  did  not  know 
how  to  handle  chop  sticks.  There  were  no  knives 
and  forks,  so  I  contented  myself  with  eating  some 
sweet  cakes  and  taking  some  refreshing  tea.  We  were 
offered  a  beverage,  distilled  from  rice,  called  sam-su> 
which  I  found  very  palatable.  At  the  close  of  lunch 
basins  of  hot  water  were  offered  us  for  washing  our 
hand  and  faces. 

After  lunch,  I  told  Mac  I  wished  to  visit  the  court 
for  the  examination  of  criminals,  which  we  did,  and 
after  passing  through  a  long  line  of  offices  approp- 
riated for  lawyers  and  business  matters  connected 
with  the  court,  we  entered  the  apartment  where  the 
Judge  was  trying  several  cases  ;  and,  I  should  judge, 
of  various  offences.        Most  of  the  prisoners  were  in 


I  82  HONG  A'OXG,   CANTON  AND  MACAO. 

chains,  and  on  entering  to  have  a  hearing,  threw 
themselves  on  their  knees  and  asked  the  Judge  for 
mercy,  when  the  examination  went  on — the  object  of 
the  Judge  being,  apparently,  to  compel  the  accused 
to  confess  or  admit  the  charge  against  him.  There 
were  three  prisoners,  who  at  the  same  time,  were 
undergoing  torture  in  order  to  make  them  confess, 
as  under  the  Chinese  law,  capital  punishment  cannot 
be  inflicted,  until  the  accused  admits  his  crime.  The 
mode  of  torture  consisted  in  tying  them  with  their 
backs  to  a  board,  their  thumbs  and  toes  brought 
together  behind  it,  and  then  pulled  as  closely  as  pos- 
sible— the  pain  from  which  must  have  been  ex- 
cruciating ;  but  they  were  not  disposed  to  confess, 
and  I  did  not  care  to  wait  any  longer  and  witness 
such  a  scene. 

There  was  no  jury,  but  there  appeared  to  be  an 
attorney  who  was  brow-beating  the  various  prison- 
ers. Unfortunately  a  full  understanding  of  the  cases 
was  impossible,  as  Mac's  knowledge  of  English  is 
very  limited,  and  I  could  not  have  the  en- 
tire process  explained ;  but  it  seemed  to  me  that 
Justice  in  a  Chinese  court,  when  one  is  wrongfully 
accused,  would  all  depend  upon  the  amouut  of  money 
that  could  be  produced  to  clear  the  charges.  I've 
since  been  told  that  the  cases  are  all  pretty  thorough- 
ly investigated  by  the  various  subordinates,  and  a 
very  complete  description  sent  to  the  Judge  previous 
to  trial.      And  further,  without  some  compulsory  pro- 


i 


CHINESE  PRISONS.  I  83 

cess,  justice  would  rarely  be  reached,  as  Chinese  evi- 
dence can  be  purchased  at  very  low  figures. 

I  also  visited  some  of  the  prisons,  and  saw  the 
criminals  wearing  boards  which  encircled  their  necks  ; 
these  are  some  three  feet  square,  are  securely  fasten- 
ed on,  and  have  the  offences  marked  on  them,  one  of 
the  prisoners  begged  me  to  intercede  and  get  the 
board  removed,  as  he  had  not  been  able  to  lie  down 
since  he  was  sentenced,  but  I  preferred  giving  him  a 
small  sum,  for  which  he  was  extremely  grateful — 
These  prisons  are  exceedingly  filthy  places  and  I 
was  glad  to  get  away  for  fear  of  being  covered  with 
vermin.  These  scenes  about  tired  me  of  Canton 
city,  and  I  gladly  returned  to  my  comfortable  quar- 
ters at  Mr.  Cunningham's.  The  following  morning 
I  took  a  steamer  for  Macao,  some  eighty  miles.  It 
is  an  old  Portugese  settlement,  and,  inthe  early  days 
of  trading  with  the  East,  a  very  prosperous  one,  as 
the  rich  merchants  resided  there.  But  its  glory  has 
departed,  and  Hong  Kong,  from  its  much  finer  har- 
bor and  greater  facilities  for  business,  has  robbed  it 
of  all  its  trade,  and  the  port  is  now  almost  deserted. 
The  town  is  prettily  situated,  and  the  sea  breeze  has 
a  fine  sweep  over  it,  so  that  resicjents  of  this  city 
often  go  there  for  a  change. 

I  have  greatly  enjoyed  my  twelve  days'  stay  at 
this  hotel,  which,  under  the  management  of  Mr. 
Greeley  an  American,  is  admirably  kept.  I  believe  it 
ranks  first  among  all  hotels  in  the  East.     I've  also 


184  HONG  KONG,   CANTON  AND  MACAO. 

had  the  pleasure  of  meeting,  at   it,    Mr.  and    Mrs. 

G e,  of  West  Islip,  Suffolk  County,   Long  Island. 

They  are  now  off  on  a  combined  business  and  plea- 
sure trip  to  Manila,  but  are  soon  to  return  to  their 
Long  Island  home. 


XIX. 
HONG  KONG  TO  SHANGHAI. 

STMR.  "•  MELBOURNE,"  EASTERN  SEA,  NEARING  SHANGHAI, 

TEMPERATURE  55°., 

March  2jth  /SS6. 

FROM  the  caption  of  this  you  will  learn  I'm  now 
traveling  in  a  French  steamer,  my  first  exper- 
ience in  this  loner  Eastern  tour.  Three  times  have  I 
tried  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  boats;  once  the 
Austrian  Lloyds,  and  now  a  Messagerie;  and  I'm 
bound  to  admit  that  I  find  this  ship  exceedingly  com- 
fortable. The  hours  of  meals  are  not  as  congenial 
to  my  taste,  but  the  food,  combined  with  the  mode 
of  serving,  is  the  best  I've  yet  found,  and  in  point  of 
speed  this  French  boat  is  much  the  faster.  I  also 
discover  that  many  of  the  most  cosmopolitan  class  of 
travelers  in  this  Eastern  land  give  the  French  line 
the  preference.  I've  generally  chosen  the  P.  &  O. 
boats,    as  I  felt   more    sure  of  meeting  travelers  of 


I  86  HONG  KONG   TO  SHANGHAI. 

similar  tastes,  as  well  as  speaking  my  own  language, 
and  from  the  further  reason  that,  in  case  of  accident 
or  break-down,  that  line  has  the  means  and  spare  ves- 
sels to  go  to  your  assistance.  We  have  no  Chinese 
passengers — a  comfort  I  duly  appreciate.  Not  only 
are  the  decks  clear  and  open  from  bow  to  stern,  but 
we  escape  the  horrible  smells  attending  Chinese 
cooking  ;  for  I  believe  they  indulge  in  those  articles 
which  have  to  the  average  Anglo-Saxon  the  most 
unsavory  odors  in  the  world. 

You  will  notice  there  has  been  a  material  change 
of  temperature,  for  while  in  Hong  Kong  we  were  in 
warm  summer  weather,  and  wore  our  lightest  cloth- 
ing. Now,  less  than  two  days'  travel  to  the  north  of 
it  we  find  winter  garments  most  acceptable,  and  we 
go  about  the  decks  muffled  up  in  our  warmest  uls- 
ters. Of  course,  the  suddenness  of  the  change  makes 
a  greater  impression,  and  demands  much  warmer 
dressing  than  if  we  had  approached  these  colder  lat- 
itudes more  gradually. 

The  prospects  are  now  (if  fog  does  not  prevent), 
that  we  shall  reach  Shanghai  to-morrow  afternoon, 
and  as  I  do  not  intend  closing  this'  till  I've  seen  that 
city  and,  perhaps,  a  portion  of  the  great  Yangtse  ri- 
ver, I  leave  off  writing  for  the  present. 

Shanghai  Club,  Shanghai,  China,  April  12th  1886. 
— Our  good  ship  even  exceeded  my  expectations, 
and  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Woosung  River  quite 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  26th;  but  the  tide  being  out 


FIRST  VIEW  OF  SHANGHAI.  I  87 

she  was  not  able  to  cross  the  bar — hence  we  were 
transferred  to  a  tug  which  brought  us  to  the  city.  The 
approach  to  this  town  is  quite  different  from  that  of 
its  rival,  Hong-Kong,  which,  you  may  recall,  is  most 
picturesque.  Here  the  country  is  flat,  and  in  coming 
up  the  river  one  might  fancy  himself  steaming  toward 
the  city  of  New  Orleans,  so  much  does  the  winding 
river,  muddy  water,  and  general  flatness  of  country 
resemble  the  approach  to  that  city, 

Shanghai  is  about  14  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Woosung,  and  the  European  quarter  is  the  first 
reached,  the  native  city  being  further  inland.  First 
in  order  along  the  river,  comes  the  American  Con- 
cession, then  the  English,  and  after  it  the  French.  On 
the  opening  of  the  port  this  land  was  set  apart  by 
the  Chinese  Government  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the 
various  powers  above  mentioned,  and  the  Govern- 
ment of  these  several  colonies  is  in  the  hands  of  their 
respective  representatives.  The  English  system 
seems  to  be  the  prevailing  one,  and  the  result  is, 
good  broad  streets,  that  are  well  kept,  and  good 
police.  The  residences  are  usually  large  brick  struc- 
tures, stuccoed  and  built  with  reference  to  the  heat, 
which  in  mid-summer  is  rather  trying. 

These  residences  usually,  front  on  the  river,  and 
the  warehouses,  or  "  godowns,"  are  in  the  rear.  The 
system  of  Concessions  above  noticed,  obtains  at 
nearly  all  the  treaty  ports,  such  as  Amoy,  Fouchow, 
Canton,  Kiew  Kiang,  Chinkiang,  Hankow  and    the 


T88  HONG  KONG  TO  SHANGHAI. 

like,  so  that  in  each  of  the  colonies  attached  to  these 
cities  there  are  most  of  the  conveniences  and  com- 
forts which  pertain  to  life  in  Europe  or  America. 

As  usual,  as  you  observe  from  the  caption  of  this, 
I'm  in  good  luck  and  enjoying  all  the  comforts  of  a 
well-organized  club.  My  room  overlooks  the  river, 
where  most  of  the  shipping  is  at  anchor — the  wharf- 
ing  facilities  not  being  sufficiently  extensive  to  admit 
of  all  vessels  lying  alongside  piers.  The  American 
flag  that  floats  from  the  U.  S.  steamers,  Omaha  and 
Marion,  is  in  full  view,  so  that  I  feel  not  only  com- 
fortable and  happy,  but  also  in  the  land  of  friends. 
In  truth,  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  feel  so 
at  almost  every  city  in  the  East  that  I've  visited. 
Armed  with  a  fair  amount  of  letters  of  introduction, 
I've  never  failed  to  have  access  to  the  houses,  of 
the  most  interesting  and  intelligent  class  ;  and  I've 
every  reason  to  testify  to  the  hospitality  and  kindly 
feelings  of  all  the  various  nationalities  in  this  far-oft 
land.  I'm  especially  indebted  to  Mr.  C.  Vincent 
Smith,  of  the  American  house  of  Russell  &  Cor, 
for  kind  favors  here. 

I  find  here,  as  I  have  done  in  all  the  other  English 
colonies,  that  the  love  of  sport  has  a  strong  hold 
upon  its  residents,  and  a  good  race  track  with  the 
accompanying  grand  stand  and  refreshment  rooms, 
has  been  established  in  the  suburbs  of  Shanghai. 
A  large  share  of  the  business  men  are  out 
every     morning     before     sunrise,    exercising    their 


FILIAL  DEVOTION.  I  89 

ponies,  a  small  compact  animal  brought  from  the 
mountain  districts  of  China.  A  few  are  tried  ani- 
mals and  have  a  record,  but  the  majority  were  pur- 
chased this  season  from  the  traders,  and  are  entirely 
green  and  untrained.  These  last  are  called  griffins, 
and  the  purchaser  has  to  exercise  his  best  horse 
knowledge  in  order  to  secure  even  a  fair  racer.  Some 

O 

amusing  scenes  occur  at  these  exercises,  and  there  is 
often  an  amount  of  buck-jumping  that  would  com- 
pare favorably  with  that  of  the  wildest  Mexican 
mustang. 

As  an  example  of  Chinese  discipline,  which,  under 
the  Confucian  code  exacts  the  most  explicit  obe- 
dience on  the  part  of  children  towards  the  parent, 
and  in  case  of  need  the  latter  can  claim  a  support 
from  their  hands.  And,  as  illustrating  the  ex- 
tent to  which  this  is  carried  in  China,  I  will  give  a 
most  remarkable  case  of  filial  devotion  on  the 
part  of  a  son  towards  a  widowed  and  dependent 
mother.  It  was  told  me  by  a  very  reliable  officer,  a 
member  at  the  time  of  the  staff  of  General  Cameron, 
commanding:  English  forces  in  China,  and  I  feel  con- 
fident  he  gave  it  as  presented  to  the  English  officials. 

It  appears  that  the  young  Chinaman  above  alluded 
to  had  committed  an  offence  which,  under  the 
Chinese  laws,  was  capital,  and  to  save  his  neck  had 
concealed  himself  from  the  officers  of  justice.  For 
his  capture  a  reward  of  $i,ood  was  offered,  and  the 
mother,  being  cognizant  of  his  place  of  refuge,  ap- 


190  HONGKONG    TO  SHANGHAI. 

pealed  to  him  in  person  after  the  following  manner  : 

1  st.  That  she  was  entitled  to  a  support  from  him, 
and  as  then  situated  he  was  unable  to  supply  it. 

2nd.  That  the  income  from  the  sum  offered  for  his 
apprehension  would  support  her  for  the  remainder  of 
her  life, and  hence  it  was  his  duty  to  surrender  himself 
and  thus  enable  her  to  deliver  him  to  justice  and  to 
claim  the  reward.  This  he  did,  and  for  the  offence 
against  the  law  was  decapitated  ;  the  mother  re- 
ceived the  reward  and  lived  upon  its  proceeds. 

It  hardly  seems  possible  that  any  mother  could 
act  in  such  an  inhuman  and  unnatural  way,  but  un- 
less this  officer,  as  well  as  all  others  at  headquarters, 
were  imposed  upon,  which  is  not  very  probable, 
there  is  every  reason  for  accepting  it  as  a  well  sub- 
stantiated fact. 

I  had  been  but  a  few  days  at  Shanghai,  when  I 
began  making  inquiries  concerning  a  trip  up  the 
Yangtse  Kiang,  and  learned  that  it  could  easily  be 
accomplished  by  anyone  of  the  three  lines  of  steamers 
plying  between  this  city  and  Hankow,  a  port  600 
miles  in  the  interior.  Accordingly  I  started  on  the 
morning  of  March  3 1st,  by  the  steamboat  "Shanghai" 
a  river  steamer  modeled  after  our  North  River  boats, 
and  having  many  of  the  conveniences  of  our  best 
vessels.  First-class  passengers  are  especially  well 
provided  for,  and  have  large  roomy  state-rooms 
(English  cabins). 

In  passing  down  the  Woosung,  which  joins  the 


THE    YANGTSE.  19  I 

Yangtse  some  fourteen  miles  from  this  city,  I  had  an 
excellent  opportunity  of  seeing  its  shores    and  the 
high   cultivation    which  obtains.     One    of    its   most 
striking  features  is  the  immense  number  of  mounds, 
resembling  cocks  of  hay.     These  are  Chinese  graves, 
and,  as  you  may  imagine,  many  are  decidedly  ances- 
tral.    They  have  been  burying  in  this  mode  for  centu- 
ries, as  under  their  Confucian  code  all  ancestral  re- 
mains must  be  respected.     I  could  not  avoid  think- 
ing, as     I    viewed  the   effects    of  private    burying 
grounds  in  China,  that  if  some  of  our    Long    Island 
friends  who  have  them  upon  their    farms  could  see 
what  they  are  liable  to  come  to,  they  would  soon  seek 
some  common  cemetery  for  the  disposal  of  the  dead. 
But  to  return  to  the  Yangtse.   We  found  its  waters 
very  muddy  and,  like  those  of  the  Mississippi,  filled 
with  sand-bars,   and  the  channel  liable  to   constant 
changes — thus   calling  for  great  care  at  many  points, 
in  order  to  follow  its  channel.    The  river,  at  the  point 
we  entered  it,   is  several  miles  in  width,  but  narrow- 
ed as  we  ascended,  and  the  banks  increased  slightly 
in    height.     The    shores    were     highly     cultivated, 
and  covered    with  wheat  fields  and  every  variety  of 
vegetable.     This  wheat,  I  was  told,  would  be  ripe  by 
the  end  of  May,  and  would  give  place  to  some  other 
crop.     In  some  cases  they  are  able  to  gather,  in  the 
twelve  months,  three  good  ones.     The  farmers'  huts 
line  the  river  through   much    of  its    course.     They 
are  very  rude  affairs,  with  only  mud  walls  and  thatch- 


192  HONG  KONG   TO    SHANGHAI. 

ed  roofs,  and  no  flooring.  The  untidy  habits  of  this 
class  are  fully  shown  by  the  pigs  and  chickens  Tun- 
ing in  and  out  of  the  cottages  at  will. 

Fifty  five  miles  from  Shanghai  we  passed  the  vil- 
lage of  Langshan.  There  is  nothing  remarkable  about 
it,  save  that  the  original  Langshan  breed  of  black  fowl, 
much  prized  in  Europe  and  America,  came  from  there. 

One  hundred  and  fifty-six  miles  above  Shanghai 
we  reached  Chinkiang.  This  is  the  first  treaty  port 
on  the  river  ;  and,  having  a  good  deal  of  cargo  for 
that  place,  we  stopped  there  some  hours. 

Nanking,  the  capital  of  the  Empire  under  the  Ming 
dynasty,  is  200  miles  from  our  starting  point,  but,  as 
it  is  not  open  to  trade,  we  merely  stopped  long 
enough  to  discharge  the  passengers— all  Chinese — 
who  had  started  with  us  and  receive  others  on  board 
from  one  of  their  river  boats.  The  approach  to  this 
city  is  marked  by  several  pagodas,  perched  upon  high 
eminences,  and  several  joss  houses.  Its  city  wall  is 
also  a  feature,  and  is  said  to  measure  21  miles.  It 
seemed  in  a  good  state  of  repair.  Like  the  walls  of 
most  of  the  Chinese  cities,  it  is  crenelated  for  musket- 
try,  and  has  at  its  back  a  heavy  embankment  of  earth. 
This  is  one  of  the  cities  that  suffered  heavily  during 
the  Taiping  rebellion,  which  prevailed  during  a  good 
portion  of  the  period  from  i852  to  i858. 

Kiew  Kiang,  400  miles  up  the  river,  is  near  some 
of  the  finest  scenery.  Just  above  that  city  there  are 
some  stretches  that  would  compare  favorably  with  our 


REACHING  HAN-KOW.  T93 

Hudson  River  ;  but  in  the  main  the  country  is  flat, 
and  were  it  not  for  the  lar^e  number  of  villages,  the 
boat  life,  and  the  constant  change  of  scene,  the  trip 
would  not  be  especially  interesting. 

Han-Kow,  the  end  of  our  up-river  journey,  was 
reached  on  the  fourth  day  from  starting.  It  should 
not  have  taken  us  more  than  three,  but  we  were 
heavily  loaded  and  there  were  other  detentions  that 
kept  us  back.  Han-Kow,  with  its  two  adjoining  cities 
of  Hanyan  and  YVochan,  is  put  down  as  containing 
more  than  1.000,000  of  people.  Some  estimate  the 
ao-orecrate  as  greater,  but  as  I  have  no  means  of 
judging,  I  accept  the  former.  It  is  exceedingly  dif- 
ficult to  estimate,  with  any  degree  of  accuracy,  a 
Chinese  population,  as  their  towns  are  built  so  much 
more  compactly  than  ours,  and  the  streets  are  so 
much  narrower.  All  space  is  covered  over  ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  nearly  all  the  houses  are  of  but 
one  story,  and  did  they  not  huddle  together,  their 
cities  would  not  be  so  very  populous. 

I  was  not  sorry  to  reach  the  limit  of  the  up-river 
journey,  but  I  could  not  avoid  exclaiming  :  "  What  a 
mighty  river  the  Yang-tsze  is  !  "  for  at  this  distance 
(600  miles  in  the  interior  and  very  heart  of  China) 
there  was  sufficient  depth  of  water  to  float  the 
largest  ocean  steamers,  numbers  of  which  load,  every 
tea  season,  direct  for  London.  Han-Kow  is  about 
100  miles  from  the  tea-growing  section,  which  plant 
(as  in  India)  is  chiefly  cultivated  on  the  sides  of 
13 


194  HONG  KONG    TO   SHANGHAI. 

mountains — much  of  the  land  beino-  terraced,  the 
better  to  protect  the  plants  from  washing,  through 
the  rains,  a  large  fall  of  which  is  essential  to  tea 
culture. 

At  Han-Kow  I  was  introduced  to  a  new  industry 
— the  making  of  brick  tea.  That  is  the  fine  pow- 
dered tea  and  refuse,  which,  not  being  salable  in 
European  markets,  is  here,  after  being  moistened, 
pressed  into  bricks  weighing  25  pounds,  packed  into 
basket  crates  of  180  pounds  each,  and  shipped  to 
Tientsin,  from  whence  it  goes,  by  pack  trains,  to 
Siberia  and  the  remote  sections  of  Russia.  This, 
of  course,  is  an  inferior  article,  but  it  has  grown  to 
be  a  staple  commodity  in  distant  Russia  and  Thibet, 
and,  in  the  absence  of  coin,  serves  as  a  medium  of 
exchange.  The  making  of  this  brick  tea  is  entirely 
in  the  hands  of  Russians,  and  they  form  quite  a  ma- 
terial part  of  the  Han-Kow  European  colony. 

Our  return  trip  enabled  us  to  see  points  that  we 
had  passed  at  night  on  our  way  up — such,  for  in- 
stance, as  the  mouth  of  the  Grand  Canal,  which 
crosses  the  Yang-tsze  near  Chin-Kiang,  and  serves  as 
a  great  feeder  to  this  river,  as  it  reaches  as  high  up 
as  Pekin,  at  the  north,  and  to  the  south  near  Canton. 
Besides  this,  there  are  a  vast  number  of  rivers  and 
many  lakes  that  are  tributary  to  this  mighty  river, 
which  has  a  length  of  over  3,000  miles. 

We  reached  this  city,  on  our  return,  eight  days 
from  the  time  of  departure — pleased  with  the  jour- 


AN  IMMENSE  RIVER.  I  95 

ney,  and  feeling  that  we  had  gained  not  a  little  in- 
formation by  penetrating  so  far  into  the  interior  of 
the  country  ;  and  feeling,  also,  greatly  impressed 
with  the  magnitude  of  this  immense  river — perhaps 
the  greatest,  viewed  from  all  stand-points,  in  the 
world. 


XX. 

CHINESE    FORTIFICATIONS. 

HAN-KOW,   CHINA. 
(ABOUT  EAT.   30°  32'  N.,  LONG.    II40   Ig'  E. 

TEMP.   IN  SHADE,  69'.) 

April  6th,  1886. 

WHEN  I  closed  my  letter  from  India,  I  rather 
intimated  you  might  hear  from  me  again  at 
some  point  farther  to  the  eastward,  and  I  must  con- 
fess in  doing  so  I  had  China  in  my  mind.  Thinking 
that  in  that  distant  and  little  explored  land  there 
would  be  some  military  novelty  that  I  could  pick  up 
for  the  benefit  of  your  readers — something  like  a 
guard  mount,  a  parade,  or  some  military  procession, 
or  a  barrack  scene,  so  different  from  aught  else  I've 
witnessed,  that  would  serve  as  a  real  treat  to  the  pa- 
trons of  the  Military  Service  Journal  ;*  but  I  fear 
my  hopes  are  likely  to  be  thwarted,  as  three  weeks 
in  China  have  failed  to  produce  anything  that  seems 
especially  appropriate  for  a  military  letter.     In  truth, 

*  Journal  Military  Service  Institution  of  the  U.  S. 


SOME  EARTHWORKS.  I  97 

I've  seen  very  little  of  Chinese  troops.  On  my  visit 
to  Canton,  an  excursion  which  I  made  from  Hong- 
Kong,  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  travel  with  Captain 
Lloyd  of  the  steamboat  Hau-Kow,  which  makes 
daily  trips  between  Canton  and  Hong-Kong,  a  fine 
boat  modelled  after  our  North  River  steamers,  and 
as  roomy  and  comfortable  as  could  be  wished.  Cap- 
tain Lloyd's  knowledge  of  the  river,  and  the  various 
batteries  which  have  been  constructed  on  the  Can- 
ton or  Pearl  River  for  the  defences  of  the  city  of 
Canton,  gave  me  a  good  idea  of  its  fortifications, 
most  of  which  are  of  recent  construction.  The  late 
unpleasantness  between  the  Chinese  and  French 
frightened  them  into  doing  something  for  their  city. 
These  batteries  are  evidently  well  placed,  and  have 
mounted  some  of  the  most  improved  and  best  con- 
structed modern  guns.  I  think  Krupp  has  supplied 
some  of  the  best ;  European  engineers  have  evi- 
dently been  employed  in  these  defences,  to  which 
they  add  a  good  system  of  torpedoes.  This  scare 
has  had  another  good  effect,  viz.,  to  connect  the  cen- 
tral government  at  Pekin  with  their  various  prov- 
inces and  military  works  by  a  good  system  of  tele- 
graphs. This  latter  is  regarded  by  the  Europeans 
as  the  forerunner  of  the  railway.  Both,  I  believe, 
are  opposed  by  the  literary  and  political  mandarins, 
who  desire  to  keep  the  people  in  ignorance  and  the 
power  in  their  own  hands  ;  but  nothing  would  do  so 
much  toward  bringing  to  light  the  acts  of  those  offi- 


I98  CHINESE  FORTIFICATIONS. 

cials  as  a  good  and  rapid  system  of  communications 
with  the  various  parts  of  the  Empire.  One  hears 
from  every  quarter  of  the  "squeezes"  of  these  offi- 
cials, which  are  practised  as  largely  in  military  mat- 
ters as  in  their  civil  callings.  I  have  been  told  that 
their  military  mandarins,  who  seem  to  have  most 
arbitrary  power,  are  in  the  habit  of  reporting  and 
drawing  funds  for  the  payment  of  a  number  of  troops, 
sometimes  double  that  which  they  actually  have 
under  their  command.  Even  their  great  Li-hun?- 
Chang,  Viceroy  of  the  province  of  Pe-chi-ti,  and 
with  Tien-Tsin  as  his  head-quarters,  has  been  re- 
ported as  having  drawn  payment  for  a  much  larger 
number  of  troops  than  was  actually  in  service.  Such 
acts  could  not  be  successfully  carried  out  if  the  com- 
munication with  various  sections  of  the  Empire  were 
rapid  and  frequent. 

Notwithstanding  such  charges,  Li-hunsf-ChanQf  is 
justly  regarded  as  the  great  man  of  the  Empire,  is 
more  advanced  in  his  views  than  any  other  official, 
and  is  actually  making  greater  innovations  upon  the 
time-honored  customs  and  traditions  than  any  prom- 
inent official  that  China  has  produced  for  many 
years.  I  believe  he  favors  the  introduction  of  the 
railroad  system  and  the  improvement  of  roads.  At 
present  China  has  only  foot-paths,  or  such  as  would 
only  pass  for  these,  between  its  most  important  and 
populous  cities.  Its  commerce  for  centuries  has  de- 
pended upon  its  canals  and  rivers.     He  is  one  of  the 


/./-//  UNG-  CHA  NG.  I  9  9 

men  of  whom  it  is  reported  General  Grant  spoke  when 
asked  what  great  men  he  had  met  in  the  course  of 
his  tour  around  the  world,  and  his  reply  was  :  "  Bea- 
consfield  in  England,  Gambetta  in  France,  Bismarck 
in  Germany,  and  Li- hung- Chang  in  China."  These 
squeezes,  to  which  I  have  made  reference,  are  re- 
peated at  the  central  government,  and  the  mandarins 
who  chance  to  receive  good  appointments  from  the 
Emperor  are,  at  the  expiration  of  their  term  of  office, 
invited  to  Pekin  to  pay  their  respects  to  him.  And 
should  they  fail  to  grease  the  palms  of  his  subordi- 
nates, some  of  their  weak  points  will  be  brought  to 
light,  and  in  place  of  paying  a  moderate  sum  it  may 
cost  them  many  thousands  of  taels  to  escape  with 
their  heads.  The  Chief  Inspector  of  Trade  at 
Canton  holds  his  appointment  for  three  years.  At 
the  time  of  retiring  he  visits  Pekin  on  the  accus- 
tomed visit  to  the  Emperor,  and  he  rarely  gets  off 
with  less  than  100,000  taels  (about  $142,000),  and, 
besides  it,  he  has  probably  put  away  a  large  fortune 
for  future  use,  all  of  which  has  been  made  out  of  a 
salary  of  $2,500.  I  would  not  repeat  these  stories 
had  I  not  heard  the  same  thine  from  different  sources 
in  various  parts  of  China,  and  from  parties  whom  I 
have  reason  to  credit. 

Another  evidence  of  lack  of  faith  in  the  honesty 
of  'their  own  officials,  is  shown  in  the  custom-house 
system  of  the  country,  especially  the  dues  collected 
from  foreign  nations.     At  the  close  of  the  last  Eng- 


200  CHINESE  FORTIFICATIONS. 

lish  and  French  war  in  China,  about  1859,  a  large 
indemnity  was  demanded,  but,  not  having-  faith  in  its 
payment,  these  Powers  claimed  the  right  to  collect, 
through  a  commission  of  their  own,  the  dues  at  cer- 
tain ports,  which  was  done,  they  transmitting  the 
surplus  to  the  central  government.  The  latter,  find- 
ing that  the  work  was  so  honestly  performed  and  so 
much  more  money  flowing  into  the  general  treasury 
than  before,  asked  this  commission  to  organize  a  com- 
plete system,  covering  all  the  ports  of  entry  through- 
out the  Empire  open  to  foreign  trade,  which  is  in 
force  at  the  present  moment.  The  officer  in  charge 
of  this  system  is  Sir  Robert  Hart.  This  commission 
has  greatly  extended  its  labors,  and  it  now  covers  a 
good  deal  of  ground,  such  as  the  lighting  of  the 
coast  and  navigable  rivers,  the  police  of  harbors  and 
rivers,  and  even  the  purchase  of  gunboats  for  the 
protection  of  shipping  against  pirates.  The  officials 
composing  this  service  are  made  up  from  all  the 
various  nationalities  trading  with  China,  the  number 
from  each  nation  being  about  in  proportion  to  the 
revenues  paid  in.  The  pay  is  liberal,  and  the  ser- 
vice has  called  to  its  aid  a  most  honorable  and  intel- 
ligent body  of  gentlemen,  so  that  it  ranks  second 
only  to  the  civil  service  of  India.  Unlike  that,  it 
has  no  pension  system  attached  to  it,  but,  in  lieu,  a 
bonus  of  one  year's  pay  is  given  its  officers  at  the 
end  of  each  seven  years'  service.  I  believe  it  is  in 
contemplation  to  tax  the  officials  and  create  a  fund 


CHINESE    TROOPS.  201 

securely  placed,  so  that  in  the  event  of  the  Chi- 
nese government  doing'  away  with  this  system  the 
interest  of  this  fund  will  serve  as  a  pension  to  those 
who  may  have  honorably  retired.  But  I  have  wan- 
dered far  from  my  subject,  and  must  now  return  to 
the  military  items  variously  picked  up. 

Respecting  the  Chinese  army  as  an  organized  body, 
I've  not  been  able  to  learn  that  such  an  institution 
exists.  The  viceroys  governing  the  various  prov- 
inces are  held  responsible  for  the  peace  and  good 
order  of  their  respective  charges,  and  it  seems  to 
rest  with  them  to  call  out  the  local  militia  to  the  ex- 
tent that  they  deem  necessary,  and  this  is  largely 
made  up  from  the  coolie  class,  which  is  the  lowest 
order  in  the  Chinese  social  scale,  all  menial  labor 
falling  to  their  lot.  At  most  all  the  capitals  of  the 
various  provinces  that  I've  passed  there  has  been 
some  little  display  of  military,  especially  at  the  river 
ports,  and  I  presume  they  keep  there  a  certain 
nucleus  into  which  the  drafted  men  are  received,  and 
where  they  get  a  certain  amount  of  military  instruc- 
tion. A  large  display  of  banners  seems  an  essential 
feature  of  all  their  manoeuvres.  As  I  was  entering 
the  Woosung  River,  on  my  way  to  Shanghai,  the 
sailors  from  their  gunboats  were  being  landed,  pre- 
sumably for  some  field  exercises,  and  the  number,  of 
banners  that  were  in  line  as  they  formed  on  shore 
was  prodigious.  I  presume  they'd  soon  get  over 
such  ideas  if  engaged  in  a  long  war,  and  when  they 


202  CHINESE   FORTIFICATIONS. 

discovered  that  such  objects  served  as  excellent  tar- 
gets for  the  enemy. 

A  trip  up  this  great  river  has  .added  materially  to 
my  information  and  opened  my  eyes  to  the  numbers 
and  extent  of  their  river  defences,  for  at  numerous 
points  along  its  course  apparently  strong  earthworks 
have  been  erected,  and  they  seem  to  have  shown 
good  judgment  in  selecting  the  best  sites  for  its 
defence,  often,  however,  omitting  the  important  con- 
sideration of  protecting  themselves  from  an  attack  in 
the  rear,  and  forgetting  that  an  enemy  is  not  likely 
to  approach  from  the  direction  you  are  best  prepared 
to  resist  him.  The  earthworks  below  Nan-Kin  fur- 
nish an  example  of  this  character,  and  the  same  may 
be  said  of  some  others.  At  many  of  these  mili- 
tary stations  we  have  observed  their  men  idling 
about,  but  at  scarcely  any  did  we  see  them  engaged 
in  drilling  or  performing  any  of  the  duties  of  a  sol- 
dier. Their  dress  is  precisely  the  same  as  any 
civilian  Chinese  (colors  dark  and  light  blue),  and 
apparently  without  any  marks  to  identify  them  as 
soldiers.  There  was  an  exception  to  this  at  one  or 
two  of  the  military  works  we  passed,  and  at  these 
the  dark  blue  sack  or  coat  had  its  skirts  edged  with 
a  broad  band  of  red,  with  a  red  badge  upon  the 
breast  containing  the  number  of  the  regiment,  and  I 
am  led  to  believe  that  this  is  the  chief  distinguishing 
facing  of  most  of  their  troops  ;  it  also  extends  to  the 
retainers  of  many  of  the  mandarins,  as  I've  observed 


A    CHINESE    THE  A  IRE.  203 

them  in  passing  through  the  streets,  the  mandarin 
himself  being  usually  borne  in  a  sedan  chair.  I've 
used  the  latter  quijte  frequently,  and  have  found  it 
rather  comfortable.  About  Hong-Kong,  which  city 
is  built  upon  the  side  of  a  mountain,  its  use  was 
almost  indispensable,  the  climate  being,  at  the  time 
I  visited  it,  too  debilitating  to  admit  of  walking  up 
its  steep  streets.  In  visiting  Chinese  cities,  I've 
usually  adopted  the  open  sedan  chair  (with  three 
bearers),  in  order  to  avoid  the  filth  of  their  narrow 
streets,  and  also  to  escape  the  annoyance  of  being 
jostled  and  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  curious  men 
and  boys.  I  passed  a  portion  of  yesterday  in  Han- 
Kow  City,  and  was  glad  I  had  taken  this  precaution  ; 
for,  whenever  I  entered  a  shop  to  make  purchases, 
I  had  no  alternative  but  submit  to  their  following, 
and  at  times  must  have  had  more  than  fifty  of  them 
pressing  uncomfortably  close  upon  me.  However,  I 
submitted  with  the  best  grace  possible,  to  the  exam- 
ination of  the  various  articles  of  my  clothing,  watch, 
chain,  and  the  like.  In  the  course  of  my  wanderings 
through  the  town,  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  in 
my  sedan  chair-ride,  I  came  upon  one  of  their  finest 
joss-houses,  and  through  the  guide  asked  for  per- 
mission to  enter,  which  was  granted.  After  inspect- 
ing the  central  court,  and  the  high  altar  or  place 
where  their  chief  images  are  kept,  and  before  which 
they  usually  burn  their  joss-sticks  and  say  their  pray- 
ers, I  was  asked  into  an  adjoining  court,   where   I 


204  CHINESE  FORTIFICATIONS. 

found  a  most  respectable  assemblage  witnessing  a 
theatrical  performance.  I  was  given  a  choice  seat, 
asked  to  partake  of  some  refreshment,  such  as  tea, 
melon  seeds,  preserved  fruits  and  cakes,  and  treated 
with  every  consideration.  I  naturally  inferred  that 
I  was  to  pay  for  all  this  attention,  but  they  posi- 
tively declined  any  remuneration,  and  I  could  only 
return  their  hospitality  by  thanks,  which  were  uttered 
in  English,  and,  I  fear,  were  poorly  understood.  I 
have  since  learned  that  it  is  often  the  custom  for 
some  of  their  wealthy  citizens,  especially  when  mem- 
bers of  certain  guilds,  to  entertain  their  friends  in 
this  mode,  and  this  one  was  given  on  the  anni- 
versary of  one  of  their  religious  festivals.  The 
host  received  his  guests  (all  men)  at  the  entrance  of 
the  theatre,  where  he  welcomed  them  by  repeated 
bows,  which  were  returned,  neither  host  nor  guests 
offering  to  shake  hands,  but  holding  them  in  front 
with  palms  together,  and  when  bowing,  bringing  the 
chin  down  close  to  them.  One  might  almost  say 
that  each  one  shook  his  own  hands,  and  this,  I  must 
conclude,' is  the  fashion  in  the  best  Chinese  circles, 
as  I've  never  seen  collected  a  more  distinguished- 
looking  set  than  those  occupying  the  best  seats  in 
this  theatre. 

It  was  a  new  experience  for  me  to  find  the  theatre 
an  accompaniment  of  their  religious  edifice,  but  upon 
enquiry,  learned  it  was  quite  general  with  the  wealthy 
class.      I  watched  the  performance  for  more  than  an 


DEFORMED    FEET.  205 

hour,  and  was  naturally  interested,  as  it  was  my  first 
experience.  There  were  no  women  on  the  stage, 
but  two  were  personated  by  men,  whose  make-up 
was  so  good,  even  to  the  pinched  small  feet,  that  I 
was  thoroughly  deceived  as  to  their  sex.  And  here 
I  propose  adding  an  item,  for  the  benefit  of  your 
lady  readers,  respecting  the  mode  of  pinching  the 
feet  into  the  shapeless  mass,  as  we  "■foreign 
devils  "  view  it.  and  which  so  generally  obtains  with 
the  aristocratic  class.  It  is  less  practised  in  the  south 
of  China,  but,  in  the  north,  no  mother  will  permit 
her  daughter  to  grow  up  with  the  feet  that  naturally 
belong  to  the  child,  as  in  the  eyes  of  the  "  jeunesse 
doree  "  she  would  not  be  a  fit  subject  for  their  atten- 
tions or  admiration.  This  operation,  so  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  learn,  begins  at  an  early  age,  the  child 
not  being  more  than  two  or  three  years  old.  The 
first  step  is  to  bandage  the  four  smaller  toes  so 
tightly  under  the  ball  of  the  foot  that  they  are  almost 
buried  into  the  flesh.  The  next  move  is  to  force 
these  up  so  that  they  rest  in  the  hollow  of  the  foot, 
making  the  whole  thing  into  a  lump,  and  leaving 
onlv  it,  the  heel,  and  bigf  toe,  on  which  to  walk.  This 
operation  is  continued  up  to  the  age  of  fifteen  or  six- 
teen, and  is  attended  with  intense  pain,  the  screams 
and  moanings  of  the  child  bearing  testimony  to  the 
sufferings  it  endures,  and  after  the  operation  is  com- 
plete they  go  stamping  about  much  as  one  would 
who  had  lost  both  feet.     There   is  no  elasticity  to 


206  CHINESE  FORTIFICATIONS. 

the  walk,  and  often  they  have  to  support  themselves 
by  some  object.  Such  is  the  power  of  fashion,  which 
is  said  to  have  had  its  origin  with  some  arbitrary 
ruler,  in  order  to  prevent  women  from  gadding.  The 
universal  habit  of  wearing  pig-tails  by  the  men  is 
another  evidence  of  the  influence  of  fashion,  origi- 
nally imposed  upon  the  Chinese  race  by  their  Tartar* 
conquerors  as  a  symbol  of  servitude.  It  has  grown 
to  be  an  essential  part  of  them,  and  the  man  con- 
demned to  cut  off  this  appendage  regards  himself 
as  disgraced. 

But  to  return  to  the  Yang-tsze,  on  which  I've  been 
travelling  for  the  past  week.  It  certainly  is  a  noble 
river,  and  probably  has  tributary  to  it  one  of  the 
richest  sections  of  the  globe.  Its  banks  are  lined 
with  peasants'  cottages  almost  the  entire  distance 
from  Shanghai  to  this  city,  and  the  population  along 
its  entire  course,  added  to  that  which  lives  upon  the 
lakes,  canals,  and  rivers  that  are  tributary  to  it,  is 
estimated  at  150,000,000.  The  soil  is  very  rich, 
and  often  produces  three  crops  per  year.  The  largest 
ocean  steamers  navigate  its  waters  up  to  this  city, 
six  hundred  miles  above  Shanghai,  and,  but  for  the 
two  rapids,  heavy-draught  vessels  could  go  six  hun- 
dred miles  above  this.  Its  entire  length  is  variously 
stated  at  between  twenty-five  hundred  and  three 
thousand  miles.  Its  shores  bear  a  strong  resemblance 
to  some  of  our  Western  rivers,  and  like  them  have 
to  be  protected  from  overflows  by  dikes  or  artificial 


CHINESE   WALLED   CITIES.  20/ 

embankments.  Many  of  China's  most  populous 
cities  are  situated  upon  its  banks.  1  mention  Chin- 
Kiang,  Nan-king,  Wukee,  Ngdu-King-Foo,  Kiu- 
Kiang,  and  this  city  with  its  two  suburban  ones  of 
Han-Yang  and  Wu-Chang,  are  placed  at  over 
1,000,000  of  inhabitants.  Most  of  the  cities  are  walled, 
and  can  only  be  entered  by  the  gates,  where  a  duty, 
resembling  the  octroi  of  France,  is  collected.  So  far 
as  I  am  able  to  judge,  these  walls  are  in  good  con- 
dition, and  are  backed  by  a  heavy  earthen  embank- 
ment. That  at  Han-Kow,  I  know  to  be  at  least 
twenty  feet  thick,  and  I  presume  many  of  the  others 
are  equally  strong.  These  walls  are  all  crenelated, 
which  produces  a  pretty  effect  ;  the  perimeter  of  the 
wall  at  Nan-king  is  put  at  twenty- one  miles,  and  I 
don't  think  it  exaggerated.  The  approaches  to  most 
of  their  cities  are  usually  marked  by  one  or  more 
pagodas,  and  if  high  ground  or  an  eminence  can  be 
found,  it  is  placed  on  the  top  ;  but  the  appearance  of 
their  towns  is  far  from  attractive,  houses  of  a  single 
story,  and  usually  of  a  sombre-gray  color,  the  most 
prominent  structures  being  the  joss-houses  and 
pagodas,  the  former  with  the  peculiar  concave-shaped 
ridges  and  upturned  eaves,  the  effect  of  which  is 
'rather  odd  and  picturesque. 

Before  closing  this  rather  lengthy  epistle,  I  wish 
to  speak  of  a  very  nice  and  appropriate  compliment 
paid  by  Captain  Selfridge,  U.  S.  Navy,  commanding 
U.   S.    Steamer   Omaha,   who,   on  a  recent   visit  of 


208  CHINESE  FORTIFICATIONS. 

Major-General  Cameron,  commanding  the  British 
troops  in  China,  turned  out  his  marines  and  a  share 
of  his  sailors,  and  escorted  the  General  to  the  race- 
course, where  he  inspected  a  body  of  the  Shanghai 
volunteers.  The  blue-jackets  looked  and  marched 
well,  and  were  highly  complimented.  This  act  of 
courtesy  struck  me  as  being  well  placed,  and  a  good 
promoter  of  friendly  feeling  between  the  two  nations, 
who  have  so  much  in  common ;  besides,  it  gave  the 
captain  an  opportunity  of  showing  the  Chinese  that, 
in  addition  to  his  naval  guns,  he  was  prepared  to 
land  a  respectable  force,  and  do  some  fighting  on 
shore. 


XXI. 

SHANGHAI  TO  NAGASAKI. 

MITSU  BISHI,   STEAMER  YOKOHAMA  MART, 
JAPAN  WATERS,  Aplil  l8th,  1886. 

I  AM  again  afloat,  and  as  you  observe,  in  a  veri- 
table Japanese  vessel — she  forming  one  of  a 
valuable  line  running  between  Shanghai  and  Yoko- 
hama, and  having  connections  in  various  parts  of 
Japan  and  Corea.  Europeans,  however,  fill  the  most 
important  posts,  such  as  captain,  chief  engineer,  and 
mates,  but  the  working  of  the  ship  is  with  Japanese, 
who  are  expert  sailors  and  have  had  their  tuition 
through  the  extensive  fisheries  of  this  land  ;  for,  I 
imagine,  there  are  few  countries  with  Japan's  area 
that  can  show  such  an  extended  coast  line  of  navi- 
gable waters,  bays,  and  inland  seas  ;  and,  as  fish  is 
one  of  the  staple  articles  of  food,  the  handling  of 
boats  in  their  capacities  as  fishermen  furnishes  a 
good  education  and  fits  them  for  making  excellent 
sailors.  I  believe  for  some  time  after  their  acquisition 
of  war  ships  (they  have  now  a  far  more  powerful 
14 


2IO  SHANGHAI    TO   NAGASAKI. 

fleet  than  our  own  proud  nation  can  show)  some 
of  their  ships  were  commanded  by  Europeans,  but 
at  the  present  date  all  their  war  vessels  are  in  the 
hands  of  natives,  and  a  share  of  the  merchants'  ships 
— particularly  the  cargo  boats — are  navigated  by  their 
own  countrymen. 

We  left  Shanghai  on  the  14th.  The  morning  was 
a  beautiful  one,  and  as  we  steamed  down  the  Woo- 
sung  River  its  shores  looked  exceedingly  attractive. 
Peach,  plum,  and  cherry  trees  were  in  blossom,  and 
the  leaves  of  the  willow  were  partly  formed.  The 
latter  appears  to  be  the  prevailing  tree  along  these 
Chinese  rivers,  and  I  saw  but  little  else  in  my  long 
journey  up  the  Yang-tsze.  I  can't  account  for  this, 
save  that  I've  heard  that  during  the  Taeping  rebellion 
in  China  the  rebels  destroyed  most  of  the  forest  trees 
along  the  line  they  occupied,  and  there  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  any  law  compelling  the  planting 
of  others,  as  obtains  in  many  countries,  and  which 
most  travellers  wish  was  thoroughly  enforced  in  all — 
our  own  being  no  exception,  as  we  are  sadly  in  need 
of  some  well-executed  law  on  this  point. 

Our  two  days'  journey  across  the  Eastern  Sea, 
separating  China  from  Japan,  was  a  pleasant  one, 
the  ship's  company  agreeable  and  the  waves  calm — 
enabling  all  to  come  on  deck. 

We  passed,  on  the  15th,  the  large  island  of  Quel- 
part,  which  lies  directly  in  the  track  of  vessels  run- 
ning between  Shanghai  and  Japan,  and  on  the  even- 


LANDING  A  T  NAGASAKI.  2  I  I 

ing  of  that  day  entered  the  beautiful  harbor  of  Na- 
gasaki— one  of  the  most  picturesque  I've  ever  seen. 
It  being  night,  its  beauties  were  not  revealed  to  us 
till  the  next  morning,  when  we  awoke.  The  town 
was  just  opposite,  and  our  anchorage  so  near  shore 
as  to  enable  us  to  recognize  friends  passing  along 
the  "  bund."  This  term,  which  I  first  heard  in  India, 
is  applied  to  the  water-fronts  of  the  various  foreign 
"  concessions  "  throughout  the  East.  It  is  usually 
a  broad  space  in  front  of  the  European  residences, 
planted  with  one  or  more  rows  of  trees.  Its  face  is 
protected  from  the  washing  of  the  waters  by  a  stone 
wall,  and  it  serves  as  an  admirable  lounging  place  for 
the  foreign  element.  It  is  also  an  excellent  play- 
ground for  their  children — the  natives  only  visiting 
it  when  called  there  by  business. 

We  were  some  twenty-four  hours  in  the  port  of 
Nagasaki — time  which  was  industriously  employed 
by  all,  particularly  the  new-comers,  who  were  eager 
to  see  all  that  was  novel  in  this  most  interesting 
country.  In  spite  of  a  pouring  rain,  we  were  early 
on  shore  and  visiting  the  various  shops.  Porcelain 
and  tortoise-shell  shops  were  the  most  attractive  to 
me,  and  at  one  of  the  latter  I  purchased  two  excel- 
lent miniature  copies,  in  shell,  of  the  native  boats 
and  jinrickishaws.  There  is  an  extensive  bazaar, 
filled  with  every  variety  of  native  productions,  that 
I  was  much  interested  in,  and  that  consumed  a  share 
of  the  rainy  morning.     The  afternoon  was  fine,  and 


2  12  SHANGHAI   TO  NAGASAKI. 

we  profited  by  it  in  wandering  over  the  hills  and 
through  their  principal  park,  where  we  saw  our  first 
Japanese  temple.  We  also  visited  one  or  two  tea 
houses.  These  are  attractive  places — the  ladies  of 
the  house  coming  out  to  meet  and  welcome  us. 
There  is  no  shaking  of  hands,  but  they  make  most 
graceful  bows,  smiling  all  the  while,  and  welcoming 
us  by  kindly  words,  which,  I'm  sorry  to  say,  I  did 
not  understand. 

I  was  aided,  however,  by  a  friend,  Mr.  Hunt,  long 
a  Japanese  resident,  who  was  kind  enough  to  explain 
what  the  young  waitresses  were  saying.  After  tak- 
ing a  cup  of  tea,  which  is  offered  without  milk  or 
sugar,  and  in  tiny  cups,  we  bid  them  good-by, 
receiving  in  return  the  most  profound  bows,  which 
they  made  while  kneeling — the  head  being  brought 
almost  down  to  the  floor.  This  form  of  politeness 
is  striking,  and  the  new  comer  to  this  picturesque 
land  at  once  remarks  upon  it.  It  is  as  common  to 
see  two  of  the  peasant  or  working  class,  when  pass- 
ing each  other  on  the  street,  stop  and  make  a  low 
bow,  as  with  us  for  the  best  class  to  raise  their  hats. 
This  courtly  demeanor  of  all  classes  toward  each 
other  at  once  attracts,  and  when  it  is  coupled  with 
a  kindly  smile  and  every  evidence  of  good  feelings, 
you  conclude  they  are  the  most  polite  people  in  the 
world,  and  are  naturally  led  to  ask  whence  it  arises. 
The  guide  books  tell  us  that  it  is  taught  through 
their  religion    and    a   national   regard   for   etiquette 


TABLET  OF  GEN.   GRANT.  213 

which  is  held  in  hio-h  esteem.  Their  relioion  incul- 
cates  the  reverence  to  parents  as  one  of  the  highest 
of  virtues,  and  to  it  as  much  as  any  one  cause  may 
be  traced  the  foundation  of  such  universal  politeness. 

Continuing  our  walk  through  the  park  to  which 
I've  alluded,  we  could  not  help  admiring  the  beauti- 
ful cherry  blossoms,  which,  although  late  for  this 
portion  of  Japan,  were  still  in  considerable  numbers, 
and  which  the  Japanese  so  greatly  admire  that  almost 
all  grounds  have  a  share  of  them.  The  fruit  of  this 
species  is  small  and  hardly  edible,  and  the  tree  is 
grown  chiefly  for  the  beauty  of  its  blossoms.  One 
of  their  most  popular  out-of-door  festivals  is  held 
when  these  trees  are  in  full  flower. 

In  the  course  of  our  wanderings,  and  at  a  point  in 
the  park  commanding  one  of  the  finest  views  of  the 
city  and  harbor,  we  came  upon  a  stone  slab  erected 
to  commemorate  the  visit  of  Gen.  Grant,  U.  S. 
Army,  to  this  hospitable  town,  when  he  and  his  good 
wife  each  planted  a  tree.  The  slab  bears  the  follow- 
ing inscription,  which  is  an  exact  copy  of  the  Gene- 
ral's well-known  hand,  and  with  which  I  was  for  many 
years  familiar  (as  I  served  for  eight  years  as  a  subal- 
tern in  the  same  regiment),  and  I  could  not  but  re- 
mark upon  the  faithfulness  of  the  copy,  which  is  thus  : 

"  Nagasaki,  Japan,  June  23d,  i8jg. 
"At  the  request  of  Governor  Watsumi  Tada  Kalemi,  Mrs.   Grant  and  I 
each  planted  a  tree  in  the  Nagasaki   Park.     I  hope  that  both  trees  may 
prosper,  grow  large,  live  long,  and  their  growth  and  prosperity  and  long  life 
be  emblematic  of  the  future  of  Japan.  U.   S.   Gram." 


214 


SHANGHAI   TO   NAGASAKI. 


The  above  is  followed  by  the  same  sentiment  in 
Japanese  characters.  One  of  these  trees  is  dead — 
possibly  the  one  planted  by  the  General.  The  other, 
on  the  left  of  the  tablet,  facing  the  harbor,  is  about 
1 5  feet  high  and  apparently  doing  well.  It  was  not 
in  leaf,  being  of  rather  a  late  species  and  of  the 
variety  known  to  the  Japanese  as  Kiri — botanically 
Pauloivnia  Imper talis.  A  branch  of  this  tree,  with 
its  flower — a  light  purple  one — forms  one  of  the 
emblems  on  the  reverse  side  of  the  coin  of  the  em- 
pire. It  was,  I  understand,  the  crest  of  the  Shoguns 
during  the  military  reign  of  that  class  of  monarchs, 
and  is  found  on  the  doors  and  friezes  of  their  temples. 
The  chrysanthemum  is  the  crest  of  the  Mikado,  and 
it  now  has  first  place  in  the  various  decorations,  and 
since  the  revolution  of  1868,  when  he  became  the 
temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  head  of  the  empire,  no 
other  emblem  has  been  used  on  public  edifices.  I 
will  add  that  the  Kiri  is  much  prized  by  the  Japanese 
as  a  cabinet  wood,  being  light  and  durable.  Many 
of  the  boxes  that  one  sees  in  Japanese  shops  are 
made  from  it. 

On  modern  buildings,  especially  those  of  a 
national  character,  the  chrysanthemum  is  the  only 
crest,  and  one  finds  it  on  almost  all  the  post-offices, 
halls  of  justice,  telegraph  and  municipal  buildings. 
The  soldiery  and  police  wear  it  as  a  species  of  but- 
ton on  the  bands  of  their  fatigue  caps,  and  not 
associated  with  the  Shoeun  crest — doubtless  show- 


ISLAND   OF  DESHIMA.  215 

inof  that  the  Mikado  is  determined  to  rule  alone  and 
not  as  formerly,  when  the  Daimios  and  Shoguns  con- 
trolled the  political  affairs  of  the  nation. 

Before  quitting  the  harbor  of  Nagasaki  I  must 
remark  upon  the  little  island  of  Deshima,  which  was 
assigned  by  the  Japanese  to  the  Dutch  Trading 
Company,  and  for  200  years  they  were  confined  to 
this  narrow  bit  of  land,  600  feet  in  length  by  200  in 
width.  It  was  connected  with  the  town  by  two 
stone  bridges,  which  were,  however,  carefully  guard- 
ed, and  its  residents  were  never  permitted  to  enter 
the  city.  Their  trading  vessels  were  admitted  to  the 
factory  through  water-gates,  which  were  kept  closed. 
Only  a  privileged  few,  with  the  officials,  had  access 
to  the  island.  The  Dutch  were  forbidden  brino-ino- 
their  families,  and  only  a  few  loose  women  were  per- 
mitted to  have  intercourse  with  the  sailors  and  fac- 
tory men.  I  presume  it  was  then  that  these  women 
were  taught  the  dance  known  as  "Jon-kino,"  which 
is  exceedingly  indecent  and  immoral  in  its  character. 
This  dance  begins  by  taking  out  their  hair-pins,  and 
throwing  off,  in  turn,  each  article  of  dress,  till  not  a 
stitch  is  left  to  lay  aside.  The  dance  is  now  prohib- 
ited by  law,  and  it  can  only  be  given  surreptitiously. 
The  ordinary  dance  of  the  Ghesa,  or  dancing  girls, 
consists  mainly  of  a  series  of  posturings,  and  is  as 
modest  as  the  most  scrupulous  could  wish. 

We   left   Nagasaki  at   midnight  on  the  1 7th,  and 
had  a  good  passage,  reaching  the  Straits  of  Simoni- 


2l6  SHANGHAI   TO  NAGASAKI. 

saki  about  midday,  and  came  to  anchor  off  the  town 
of  the  same  name.  These  straits  separate  the  island 
of  Kiu-Shiu  from  that  of  Nippon,  or  the  main  island 
of  Japan,  and  here  begins  what  is  called  the  Inland 
Sea — that  famous  body  of  inland  water,  nearly  300 
miles  in  length,  and  navigable  for  ocean-going  steam- 
ers, that  has  no  equal  in  my  experience,  and  possibly 
is  not  excelled  in  any  section  of  the  globe,  for  beauty 
and  the  picturesque. 

We  were  some  three  hours  taking  in  a  supply  of 
rice — some  1,000  sacks  of  one  pecul  each  (133^- 
pounds).  The  sacks,  or  coverings,  were  entirely 
composed  of  straw,  but  so  completely  made  that  I 
did  not  observe  the  slightest  leakage  of  the  grain, 
and  yet  there  was  no  inner  covering  of  cotton  or 
gunny  cloth. 

The  straits  are  something  less  than  one-half  a  mile 
wide  at  their  narrowest  part,  and  being  surrounded 
by  high  mountains,  are  capable  of  being  easily  de- 
fended ;  and  they  have  been  the  scene  of  numerous 
encounters. 

Near  this  point  we  caught  our  first  glimpse  of  the 
Tokaido — a  national  road  leading  along,  or  near,  the 
coast  as  far  as  the  capital — Tokio  (Yeddo),  some  600 
miles  away.  It  seemed  well  constructed,  and,  when 
running  near  the  sea,  was  protected  by  a  wall  of 
stone.  The  roadway  was  apparently  not  more  than 
fifteen  feet  wide. 

"The  Inland  Sea,"  as  it  is  generally  styled,  con- 


THE  1XLAXD    SEA.  2\J 

sists  of  a  succession  of  seas  and  narrow  straits, 
separating  the  main  islands  from  each  other  ;  and 
these  large  bodies  of  water  are  known  on  Japan- 
ese charts  as,  ist.  "  Suwo  Nada;"  2d,  "  Iyo  Nada  ;  " 
3d,  "  Bingo  Nada  ; "  4th,  "  Harima  Nada,"  and  "  Isumi 
Nada."  The  islands  are  most  numerous  near  the 
narrower  points  of  the  channel,  and  of  the  3,000 
that  belong  to  Japan  a  goodly  number  are  to  be 
found  in  this  inland  sea.  The  North  Channel,  as  it 
is  termed,  and  which  we  reached  early  this  morning, 
has  some  of  the  finest  scenery  to  be  found  in  the 
entire  length  of  this  beautiful  sail.  Here  the  ship 
skirts  along  the  base  of  bold  mountains  (many  evi- 
dently the  remains  of  extinct  volcanoes),  the  sides  of 
which  are  clothed  in  verdure,  and  often  terraced  and 
cultivated  up  to  their  very  summits.  I  counted  the 
terraces  on  one  of  these  mountains,  and  they  ex- 
ceeded thirty — all  sustained  by  solidly-built  walls  of 
stone.  One  sees,  too,  picturesque  villages  hid  away, 
as  it  were,  in  narrow  ravines  ;  the  straw-thatched 
roofs,  coming  almost  down  to  the  ground,  form  a 
pretty  feature  of  this  interesting  trip.  There  were 
also  Shinto  temples  and  shrines,  embowered  in  groves 
of  trees,  sometimes  perched  upon  the  highest  peaks, 
but  always  so  placed  as  to  give  a  pretty  effect  to  the 
picture.  As  the  day  was  fine,  we  watched  for  hours 
this  ever-varied,  but  never-tiring,  scene,  and  were 
rather  sorry  when,  about  4  p.m.,  it  was  announced 
that  Kobe  was  in  sight.     We  entered  its  pretty  little 


2l8  SHANGHAI    TO  NAGASAKI. 

harbor  before  sunset,  and  steamed  quite  close  up  to 
the  "  bund  "  of  the  European  Concession,  which  is 
handsomely  laid  out,  and  bordered  by  the  homes  of 
the  foreign  eolony,  which  are  usually  square  wooden 
structures,  with  good  wide  porches  and  galleries. 
We  were  soon  on  shore  and  comfortably  housed  at 
the  "  Hiogo  Hotel,"  where  this  letter  must  close. 


XXII. 
KOBE   TO    KIOTO. 

YA-AMI    HOTEL,    KIOTO,    JAPAN, 
(LAT.    34.    30   N.,   LONG.   I35    E.  ;    TEMP.   50°.) 

April  24th,  18S6. 

KIOTO  seems  very  properly  to  deserve  the  good 
reputation  it  bears  among  most  travellers,  as 
one  of  the  choice  places  in  Japan.  Located  at  the 
head  of  a  rich  valley, — in  fact  the  city  extends  well 
up  the  sides  of  a  mountain,  bountifully  supplied  by 
several  streams  of  water,  which  come  directly  from 
the  adjacent  mountains,  and  connected  with  the 
coast  by  a  well-conducted  railway, — there  are  few 
spots  where  one  is  more  disposed  to  linger  than 
this.  The  city  itself  is  very  attractive.  Being  for 
many  centuries  the  seat  of  the  Imperial  Government, 
and  at  a  time  when  the  Mikado  was  regarded  as  the 
spiritual  head  of  the  nation,  it  naturally  attracted 
thither  the  best  talent  of  the  country,  and  the. re- 
mains of  their  work  are  found  in  the  ornaments  and 
decorations  of  its  temples,  and  the  skill  of  its  work- 
men in  various  forms  of  art. 


2  20  KOBE    TO  KIOTO. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  that  passports  are  still  re- 
quired from  those  who  wish  to  travel  to  the  interior, 
and  away  from  the  treaty  ports.  Hence,  before 
setting  out  on  my  journey  to  this  city  I  secured  in 
advance,  through  the  U.  S.  Minister  at  Tokio,  a 
passport  which  designated  the  various  districts  of 
Japan  that  I  wished  to  visit.  It  is  well  to  make  a 
note  of  this,  as  travellers  are  sometimes  turned  back 
and  subject  to  great  delays.  The  railway  ticket 
agents  require  passports  to  be  shown  before  issuing 
tickets,  and  hotel  proprietors  will  not  entertain  you 
unless  you  can  produce  one. 

The  situation  of  this  hotel  is  especially  good,  being 
at  one  of  the  highest  points  in  the  city, — in  fact,  it 
may  properly  be  called  a  suburb, — and  commanding 
a  superb  view  of  the  entire  town,  a  good  share  of 
the  valley,  and  the  high  mountains  opposite.  Japan- 
ese, like  the  Chinese,  cities  do  not  furnish  much  that 
is  admirable  in  the  way  of  house  architecture — the 
buildings  being  usually  of  one  or  one  and  a  half 
stories  and  with  little  decoration  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  the  tiled  roofs  and  rather  bare  walls. 
The  latter  are,  however,  varied  by  wooden  lattice 
work,  which  in  some  cases  forms  the  outside  protec- 
tion of  the  sliding  paper  windows  of  the  inside,  and 
are  separated  from  the  former  by  a  considerable 
interval.  In  many  instances  there  is  still  another 
outside  covering,  especially  to  the  lower  story.  This 
is  formed  by  a  series  of  board  frames  that  slide  in 


PATER    WINDOWS.  22  1 

grooves  in  the  upper  and  lower  galleries,  and  are 
securely  fastened.  By  day  these  are  put  into  a  small 
closet,  especially  designed  for  them,  and  the  opera- 
tion of  opening  the  windows  in  the  early  morning" 
is  likely  to  arouse  the  most  profound  sleeper,  and 
possibly  to  call  forth  some  savage  remarks  from  the 
tired  traveller,  as  personal  experience  on  my  part 
can  attest. 

It  seems  very  odd  to  live  in  a  city  where  glass  is 
scarcely  used,  and  where  light  is  admitted  by  the  aid 
of  translucent  paper.  Still  it  has  its  advantages, 
and  I  recall,  that  at  one  hotel,  the  dining-room  win- 
dows of  which  one  had  become  a  little  torn — going 
out  for  a  short  walk  I  found  on  my  return  that  the 
proprietor  had  put  in  an  entire  new  set,  and  he  could 
not  have  consumed  more  than  an  hour  in  doing  it. 
Even  the  partitions  of  the  rooms  are  often  made  of 
paper,  and  the  parts  of  these  partitions  so  slide  within 
each  other  that  each  floor  is  capable  of  being  con- 
verted into  a  single  apartment.  The  shops  do  not 
differ  materially  from  the  private  dwellings.  In 
truth,  the  shop  and  habitable  rooms  so  run  into  each 
other  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  which  is  the  real  family 
residence.  I  observe  that  the  most  valuable  goods 
are  usually  kept  in  the  upper  stories,  and  when  there 
is  anything  choice  and  rich  to  be  exhibited  you  are 
often  invited  to  the  upper  rooms,  which  are  reached 
by  a  narrow  stairway  leading  directly  up  from  the 
shop  below.     In  my  wanderings  about  these  estab- 


2  22  KOBE    TO  KIOTO. 

lishments  I  often  happen  upon  a  neat  little  kitchen, 
fitted  up  with  the  tiniest  of  charcoal  ranges,  and  it  is 
delightful  to  see  with  what  good  nature  the  lady  of 
the  house  submits  to  my  rather  prying  disposition 
to  examine  the  various  cooking  utensils,  cupboards, 
etc.,  all  of  which  are  kept  scrupulously  neat  and  clean. 
Their  apartments,  covered  with  the  newest  of  mat- 
ting, are  alike  neatly  kept.  One  is  usually  asked  to 
remove  their  shoes  and  accept  of  a  pair  of  sandals 
when  entering  the  living  rooms.  As  foreigners 
generally  wear  some  sort  of  foot  covering  that  is  not 
readily  removed,  an  exception  is  usually  made  in 
their  favor,  but  I  believe  never  with  their  own  country 
people. 

Upon  entering  the  temples  we  also  are  compelled 
to  observe  this  rule,  and  travellers  often  provide 
themselves  with  linen  or  cotton  covers  that  can  be 
slipped  over  the  leather  s'hoe,  and  thus  save  time  and 
trouble.  Sandals,  or  clogs,  are  almost  universally 
worn  by  the  natives,  and  are  kept  on  by  the  use  of 
straps  or  thongs  passing  between  the  big  toe  and  its 
neighbor  and  over  the  instep  to  the  sides  of  the 
sandal.  The  better  to  effect  this,  the  stocking,  which 
is  almost  invariably  of  white  material,  is  so  made  that 
the  big  toe  fits  into  a  separate  part. 

One  feature  of  their  house  architecture,  which  is 
especially  striking,  is  the  entire  absence  of  chimneys 
or  anything  approaching  them.  In  many  of  the  resi- 
dences there  appears  to  be  a  species  of  ventilator 


HEATING    THEIR   HOUSES.  223 

along  the  ridge,  but  no  sign  of  a  chimney.  Their 
chief  mode  of  warming  themselves  is  from  a  kind 
of  brazier  filled  with  coals,  and  you  will  find  them 
sitting  for  hours  over  this  highly-polished  heater, 
occasionally  smoking  a  pipe  and  chatting.  I'm  in- 
clined to  think  that  the  lack  of  erectness  in  their 
carriage  is  due  to  this  constant  stooping  over  this 
little  furnace  of  theirs.  In  the  far  North,  where  the 
cold  is  intense,  they  burn  fuel  in  a  species  of  oven, 
which  warms  the  apartments,  or  else  they  make  use 
of  large  metal  pots,  hung  in  the  centre  of  the  room — 
the  smoke  passing  out  through  the  ridge  of  the  roof. 
There  is  no  lack  of  fuel,  as  in  China  and  India, 
where,  as  I've  before  noticed,  the  droppings  of  ani- 
mals, mixed  with  straw  and  sun-dried,  constitute  the 
largest  share  of  their  cooking  material.  Why  it  has 
never  occurred  to  the  rather  active  brains  of  this 
people  to  construct  some  sort  of  chimney  I  can't  well 
understand.  Another  mode  of  keeping  wajm  is  to 
put  on  additional  clothing,  the  natural  effect  of  which 
is  to  add  materially  to  the  bulkiness  of  their  appear- 
ance. The  children,  under  their  three  or  four 
jackets,  as  I've  sometimes  seen  them,  look  very 
funny.  Infants  are  almost  invariably  carried  on  the 
backs  of  mothers  or  young  girls,  and  are  strapped 
on  almost  the  same  as  I've  seen  amonor  the  North 
American  Indians.  They  seem  to  have  the  best  of 
tempers,  as  I  have  not,  up  to  the  present  writing, 
heard  any  cries  from  them. 


2  24  KOBE    TO   KIOTO. 

Since  writing"  these  lines  a  friend  has  suggested 
that  this  lack  of  erectness  in  the  women  is  due  to 
their  always  having  had  to  carry  something  on  their 
backs.  The  youngest  girls  of  the  family  take  care 
of  the  babies  by  having  them  strapped  to  their  backs, 
and  it  is  as  common  to  see  a  girl  of  five  or  six  with 
a  baby  strapped  on  her  back  as  to  see  the  child  her- 
self ;  and  when  the  baby  shows  signs  of  uneasiness 
she  quiets  it  by  raising  herself  quite  rapidly  up  and 
down  on  her  toes  and  heels,  which  produces  a  simi- 
lar effect  to  dancing  the  child  in  one's  arms. 

Their  temples  are  much  the  largest  of  the  various 
edifices  that  one  sees  in  or  about  the  city.  The 
approach  to  them  is  usually  marked  by  a  stone  or 
wooden  gateway.  Once  within  this,  you  pass  through 
a  line  of  stone  lanterns,  and  possibly  come  upon 
another  gateway,  or  smaller  shrine,  before  reaching 
the  main  temple  ;  and  after  ascending  several  steps, 
you  enter  upon  the  body  of  the  building,  where  are 
placed  the  high  altar  and  the  sacred  image  before 
which  the  people  offer  their  prayers — the  petitioner 
usually  beginning  prayer  by  clapping  his  hands,  as 
it  were  to  call  the  attention  of  the  god  to  his  sup- 
plications. In  some  instances  bells  or  gongs  are 
hung  at  the  entrance,  which  are  sounded  previous  to 
commencing  prayer. 

Probably  the  most  notice'able,  as  well  as  the  most 
interesting,  of  all  the  temples  about  Kioto  is  the 
Nishi  Hongwanji,  where  in  olden  times  the  nobles 


A    HANDSOME    TEMPLE.  2  25 

of  the  court  and  high  functionaries  worshipped.     It 
has  attached  to  it  extensive  apartments,  decorated 
by  the  best  artists  of  the  times — the  subjects  being 
usually  some  characteristics  of  Japanese  life.     Some 
of  these  rooms,  or  audience-chambers,  are  really  very 
handsome.     The    Hondo,    or  principal   building,  of 
this  Buddhist  temple  is  138  feet  in  length  by  93  in 
depth,  and  the  floor  covers  an  area  of  477  Japanese 
mats.     I   did  not  learn  the  exact  size  of  a  mat,  but 
judged  it  to  be  about  3  feet  square.     One  is  struck 
in  this,  as  in  many  other  of  their  places  of  worship, 
by  the  great  resemblance  of  the  high  altar,  incense- 
burners,  candlesticks,  etc.  (all  of  which  are  accom- 
paniments of  these  temples),  to  those  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  churches.     Even  the  priests  that  one  sees 
about  them  and  in  the  streets  dress  in  a  similar  man- 
ner, except    that  the  Japanese   priests   shave   their 
heads  completely,  and  not  alone  the  crown,  as  obtains 
with  many  Roman  priests. 

This  hotel  seems  to  be  especially  favored  with 
churches,  as  there  are  some  three  or  four  in  our 
immediate  vicinity.  To  one  belongs  an  enormous 
bell,  which  is  sounded  every  morning  at  daylight, 
and  of  which  we  have  full  benefit.  However,  as  its 
tone  is  excellent,  I  can't  say  that  it  disturbs  me.  In 
form  it  resembles  the  Chinese,  being  of  cupola  shape 
and  tongueless.  The  sound  is  produced  by  striking 
a  circular  boss,  moulded  for  the  purpose,  upon  the 
outer  surface   of  the  bell    with   a   heavy  oscillating 


2  26  KOBE    TO  KIOTO. 

beam  suspended  by  a  rope.  It  requires  eight  men 
to  work  this  beam,  and  they  give  the  bell  eighty 
strokes  each  morning.  It  usually  awoke  me,  but 
its  tone  was  so  soft  and  musical,  that  I  did  not 
object  in  the  least  to  lying  awake  and  listening  to  it. 
This  only  goes  on  during  the  festival  season,  which, 
for  the  want  of  the  Japanese  name,  is  usually  called 
the  "cherry  blossom"  one.  It  opens  with  the  first 
appearance  of  those  flowers  and  lasts  till  they  have 
fallen.  It  is  a  species  of  wild  cherry,  and  is  valued 
alone  for  its  flowers,  which  are  very  large  and  beau- 
tiful. It  does  bear  a  small  fruit,  but  I  hear  it  is 
hardly  edible. 

This  seems  to  be  the  season  for  general  merry- 
making, as  all  the  theatres  and  places  of  amusement 
are.  crowded,  the  country  people  flocking  in  to  swell 
the  number.  There  is  a  species  of  ballet  now  going 
on  that  has  attracted  all  the  Europeans.  I've  seen 
it  twice.  It  lasts  about  half  an  hour,  when  the  cur- 
tain falls  and  the  house  is  emptied  for  another 
audience,  when  precisely  the  same  thing  is  repeated. 
There  are  some  seven  of  these  given  in  the  course 
of  an  evening.  It  can  hardly  be  called  a  ballet,  but 
is  rather  a  series  of  posturings,  in  which  fans  and 
wreaths  of  flowers  are  freely  used.  I  believe  this  is 
the  only  city  where  such  a  representation  is  given. 
The  dresses  are  of  very  decided  colors — blue  and 
red  predominating — and  the  usual  amount  of  powder 
and  paint  that  generally  adorns  the  young  Japanese 


DOWN    THE  RAPIDS.  22/ 

lady  is  used  in  this  dance.  The  orchestra,  also  made 
up  of  women,  is  a  feature  of  the  performance.  They 
sing  during  the  dance,  and  accompany  themselves 
with  a  species  of  guitar,  and  odd-shaped  drums  and 
small  gongs.  I  believe  that  Gilbert  and  Sullivan 
have  introduced  in  their  opera  of  "  The  Mikado  " 
something  of  this  ballet. 

In  addition  to  some  of  the  attractions  I've  enu- 
merated, and  which  render  Kioto  such  a  desirable 
city  to  visit,  I  can  add  numerous  excursions  by  rail 
and  jinrickishaw.  That  to  Nara,  a  two  days'  trip, 
where  the  largest  bronze  Buddha  in  Japan  can  be 
seen,  as  also  some  fine  mountain  scenery,  is  most 
enjoyable.  Then  there  are  the  rapids — partly  made 
by  jinrickishaw  and  partly  by  boat.  The  descent  ol 
these  rapids,  which  are  very  numerous  through  a 
course  of  some  seven  miles,  is  very  exciting,  and 
exhibits  great  skill  on  the  part  of  the  boatmen  in 
managing  their  boats.  The  scenery  along  the  river 
is  grand,  and  with  an  early  morning  start,  by  the 
time  you  reach  the  foot  of  the  rapids  you  are  quite 
prepared  for  the  comfortable  lunch  that  is  spread  for 
you  in  one  of  the  native  tea  houses.  Our  trip  was 
made  with  a  jolly  party  of  six,  and  we  considered 
the  day  as  well  passed. 

These  country  excursions  are  profitable  in  other 
ways,  throwing  one  in  contact  with  the  people,  and 
enabling  you  to  form  an  idea  of  how  they  live,  etc. 
We  passed  on  the  road  many  of  them  coming  to  the 


2  28  KOBE    TO  KIOTO. 

city  with  various  descriptions  of  produce,  and  their 
different  methods  of  transporting  it  were  striking. 
A  favorite  one  seemed  to  be  in  long  two-wheeled 
carts,  either  drawn  by  men  or  bullocks.  The  roads 
being  very  narrow,  only  very  narrow-gauged — say 
two  feet — carts  can  be  used.  Another  very  common 
mode  was  to  pack  it  upon  bullocks,  which  are  driven 
by  a  cord  attached  to  a  ring  in  the  animal's  nose. 
Nearly  all  the  bullocks  were  shod  with  straw  san- 
dals as  a  protection  to  their  feet  over  mountain 
roads,  and  my  guide  informed  me  that  it  was  only 
recently  that  the  Japanese  had  even  taken  to  shoeing 
their  horses,  of  which  they  have  a  very  limited  num- 
ber. I've  only  seen,  in  this  city  of  some  225,000 
people,  about  half  a  dozen  very  shabby-looking  po- 
nies. I  don't  know  what  I  shall  find  elsewhere,  but 
certainly  horses  are  not  numerous  here. 

The  trip  to  Otsu,  a  pretty  town  on  Lake  Biwa, 
which  is  the  largest  lake  in  Japan — some  thirty-seven 
miles  in  length  and  navigated  by  steamers — proved 
a  very  agreeable  one,  and  is  easily  made  by  rail  in 
an  hour.  The  scenery  along  the  line  is  bold  and 
picturesque.  On  the  way  you  pass  through  numer- 
ous tea  fields  and  much  good  farming  country,  which 
is  cultivated  to  the  greatest  perfection.  Many  of  the 
tea  gardens  were  protected  by  straw  mats  on  bam- 
boo poles.  This  is  done  for  the  purpose  of  forcing 
the  young  tea  shoots,  which  furnish  the  earliest  and 
best  teas.     You  may  imagine  that  labor  is  cheap 


JAPANESE   CARPENTERS.  2  2Q. 

where  such  methods  are  employed.  I  inquired  and 
learned  that  the  ordinary  laborer  gets  twenty  cents 
per  day  and  finds  himself;  best  carpenters,  seventy- 
five  cents  ;  ordinary  ones,  sixty  cents  ;  and  so  on 
down  the  scale.  While  speaking  of  mechanics,  I  will 
add  that  the  owners  of  this  hotel  are  building-  an  ad- 
dition  to  the  same,  which  has  given  me  an  opportu- 
nity of  examining  their  various  implements  of  the 
trade,  many  of  which  would  astonish  "  Boss  Terry," 
our  favorite  South  Side  builder  ;  and  perhaps  their 
method  of  ifsing  them  more  so — as,  for  example,  the 
Japanese  in  planing  never  pushes  the  tool  from  him, 
but  draws  it  toward  the  body — and  in  many  in- 
stances, especially  where  he  has  to  plane  the  edge 
of  a  board,  he  stands  it  upright  and  pulls  the  plane 
down,  such  an  affair  as  a  carpenter's  bench  not  being 
dreamed  of.  And  yet  they  do  very  neat  work,  and 
finish  off  mouldings  very  handsomely  with  exceed- 
ingly simple  tools.  Their  hours  of  labor  are  much 
the  same  as  with  us — that  is,  they  begin  work  at  7 
a.  m.,  take  an  hour  at  mid-day  for  dinner,  and  "  knock 
off"  about  6  p.  m. — but  I  hardly  think  they  work  as 
industriously  as  our  mechanics. 

As  a  people  I  should  say  that  they  were  very  fond 
of  merry-making,  and  managed  to  take  a  good  many 
holidays.  One  sees,  too,  great  crowds  in  the  street 
that  do  not  appear  to  be  doing  anything,  and  you 
are  apt  to  infer  they  do  not  over-work.  But  as  I 
see  but  few  beggars,  and  those  chiefly  young  chil- 


23O  KOBE    TO  KIOTO. 

dren  who  ask  for  pennies,  I'm  equally  inclined  to 
conclude  that  they  labor  sufficiently  to  secure  the 
necessities  of  life.  They  certainly  are  a  most  good- 
natured  and  polite  race  ;  even  the  commonest  peas- 
ant will  give  you  a  bow  that  would  grace  the  draw- 
ing-room of  any  nationality,  and  it  is  usually  accom- 
panied by  a  smile,  and  probably  a  kind  word — cer- 
tainly one  if  you  address  him.  Of  course,  in  remote 
districts,  where  foreigners  are  rarely  seen,  they  are 
likely  to  exhibit  some  curiosity,  and  are  inclined  to 
gather  about  if  you  stop  on  the  streets,  and,  maybe, 
examine  any  article  of  dress  or  jewelry  ;  but  it  is  all 
done  in  a  most  polite  matter,  and  you  can't  well  take 
offence.  They  are  nothing  like  as  pushing  as  the 
Chinese,  who  would  crowd  about  in  a  manner  that 
was  far  from  pleasant — especially  in  view  of  their 
untidy  habits.  The  Japanese,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
very  cleanly  in  his  person,  and  one  can  push  through 
a  dense  crowd  without  discomfort  or  observing  any 
unpleasant  odor  rising  from  their  bodies. 

But  to  return  to  the  town  of  Otsu  and  the  lake  on 
which  it  is  situated,  which,  the  guide-book  tells  us, 
takes  its  name  from  a  fancied  resemblance  in  its  out- 
line to  a  Chinese  guitar.  Legend  also  says  that  it 
owes  its  origin  to  an  earthquake  which  occurred  at  a 
very  early  period — the  same  one  bringing  their 
famous  mountain,  "  Fuji,"  to  the  surface. 

I'd  like  to  remain  longer  in  this  beautiful  place, 
and  examine  more  closely  some  of  its  varied  attrac- 


EXCELLENT  FARMING.  23  I 


tions,  but  time  rather  presses,  and,  further,  my 
travelling  companions  have  gone  ahead,  which  is 
another  reason  for  shortening  the  stay.  Hence  I 
return  to-morrow  by  rail  to  Kobe,  and  from  there 
take  steamer  direct  for  Yokohama.  This  city  is  some 
two  and  one-half  hours,  by  rail,  from  Kobe — the  line 
passing  through  a  highly-cultivated  farming  district, 
which  at  present  is  largely  covered  with  barley  and 
wheat — the  former  grain  being  much  used,  especially 
when  the  rice  crop  is  short.  I  wish  our  American 
farmers  could  have  a  peep  at  Japanese  cultivation — 
it  is  so  thorough  and  neatly  done.  Night-soil  is 
much  used  as  a  fertilizer — this,  mixed  with  other 
materials,  being  the  chief  mode  of  enriching  the 
land.  This  railroad  passes  through  the  large  city  of 
Osaka,  a  town  on  the  coast  above  Kobe,  where  I 
shall  pass  a  few  hours.  It,  like  this  city,  is  well  sup- 
plied by  canals,  the  water  of  which  is  drawn  from  the 
river  ;  and  this  method  of  transporting  various  pro- 
ducts greatly  reduces  the  cost,  besides  relieving  the 
streets  from  bulky  and  cumbersome  articles  of  mer- 
chandise. The  streets  of  Japanese  cities  almost  in- 
variably cross  each  other  at  right  angles,  and  are  laid 
out  with  great  regularity.  No  one  need  get  lost 
if  they  have  any  idea  of  the  points  of  the  compass, 
or  have  taken  the  slightest  pains  to  form  some  plan 
of  the  city  where  they  may  chance  to  be  stopping. 


XXIII. 

YOKOHAMA   TO    NIKKO. 

suzuki's  hotel  or  tea  house,  nikko 
(sun's  brightness),  japan,  May  18th,  1886. 

THERE  is  a  Japanese  saying,  "  Until  you  have 
seen  Nikko  don't  say  '  Kekko '  " — grand  or 
splendid.  Of  course,  I  was  not  one  to  disregard  this 
proverb,  and  shortly  after  my  arrival  at  Yokohama 
decided  on  a  visit  to  this  sacred  spot  and  the  tombs 
of  two  of  Japan's  important  and  renowned  Shoguns, 
viz.,  Iye-yasu  and  Iye-mitsu.  There  are  several 
ways  of  reaching  it,  but  I  naturally  followed  the 
modern  one  of  railroad,  omnibus,  and  jinrickishaw. 
It  was  formerly  made  solely  by  jinrickishaw,  and 
occupied  several  days  ;  it  can  now  be  accomplished 
in  a  single  day,  if  a  very  early  start  is  made  from 
Yokohama  ;  but  I  took  it  leisurely  and  made  a  halt 
of  two  days  at  Tokio  (Yeddo),  and  saw  a  share  of 
the  sights  of  the  Japanese  capital.  Still,  I'm  not 
2foine  to  tell  you  of  these  now,  but  reserve  them  for 
a  future  letter. 


JAPANESE   GUIDES.  233 


As  the  trip  to  Nikko  was  likely  to  involve  that  of 
a  visit  to  other  points  of  the  empire,  and  consume 
several  days.  I  naturally  secured  the  services  of  a 
Japanese  guide,  who  was  also  able  to  fill  the  position 
of  cook — an  important  one  on  an  excursion  of  this 
character,  as  Japanese  food  only  can  be  secured  at 
the  teahouses  of  the  interior;  and  unless  one  is  pre- 
pared to  live  solely  upon  vegetables,  rice,  and  fish, 
with  an  occasional  chicken  and  eggs,  some  provision 
must  be  made  for  excursions  which  take  you  more 
than  a  day's  journey  from  European  food  and  hotels. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Scobell,  of  Gloucester,  England,  agree- 
able and  interesting  travelling  companions  of  mine 
in  the  East,  had  recently  made  this  excursion,  and 
they  warmly  recommended  a  guide  called  Hakodate, 
whose  services  I  secured,  and  he  proved  worthy  of 
their  commendation — being  a  bright,  active  fellow, 
with  lots  of  endurance,  always  ready  for  work,  and 
full  of  resources.  He  had  written  recommendations 
from  various  parties,  but  I  laid  more  stress  upon  one 
from  some  American  naval  officers,  who  had 
recently  gone  over  the  route,  and  they  warmly 
praised  his  usefulness,  together  with  his  economical 
expenditures  for  the  journey.  I  left  to  his  judgment 
the  purchasing  of  the  various  canned  articles  that  he 
regarded  necessary,  insisting,  however,  that  he 
should  lay  in  a  certain  amount  of  soft  wheaten 
bread,  and  several  pounds  of  boiled  ham — an  article 
which  I've  always  found  fills  a  most  important  place 


234  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

and  can  be  called  in  on  most  occasions  to  fill  up  a 
gap.  He  spoke  English  fairly  well,  and  knew  the 
route  thoroughly,  having  been  over  it  four  times  this 
year. 

Leaving  Yokohama  by  rail,  in  something  less 
than  an  hour  we  reached  Tokio  (Yeddo),  where  we 
joined  a  party  consisting  of  General  James  H.  Wil- 
son, of  cavalry  fame  during  our  Rebellion,  and  Mr. 
D.  Stevens.  The  latter,  although  an  American, 
holds  a  desirable  position  in  the  Japanese  diplomatic 
service,  and  from  his  familiarity  with  the  Japanese 
lano-uaofe,  added  to  his  intimate  knowledge  of  much 
of  the  country,  proved  a  most  valuable  acquisition, 
as  well  as  being  a  jolly  good  fellow.  He  added  a 
servant  from  his  well-supplied  household  at  Tokio, 
as,  also,  a  goodly  quantity  of  stores.  I  have  also 
to  thank  him  for  much  hospitality  extended  during 
my  two  days'  stay  in  the  Japanese  capital. 

All  preparations  having  been  completed,  we 
started  by  rail  on  a  bright,  fresh  morning  for  Utsu- 
nomiya,  distant  about  70  miles  from  Tokio.  The 
line  runs  through  a  level  country,  which  at  the  time 
was  filled  with  barley  and  wheat,  much  of  which  was 
nearly  ripe.  The  road  passes  for  a  good  portion  of 
the  way  along  the  valley  of  the  Yeddogawa  River, 
and  crosses  the  Tonegfawa  at  or  near  Kurikaski. 
The  bridge  is  not  yet  complete — hence  we  were 
pulled  across  in  a  flat  boat  and  changed  to  another 
train  on  the  opposite  side.     Continuing  our  journey, 


A    BEAUTIFUL  DRIVE.  235 

the  line  passes,  at  various  points,  in  sight  of  the 
Oshinkaido,  one  of  the  national  piked  roads  of  the 
empire,  along  the  borders  of  which  are  planted 
pines  and  cryptomeria — some  of  the  latter  of  enor- 
mous size.  The  train  reached  Utsunomiya  about 
mid-day,  and  we  were  at  once  driven  to  the  Ineyd 
Tea  House,  where  lunch  was  taken,  and  then,  in  a 
species  of  omnibus  or  wagonette,  started  for  Nikko. 

The  drive  for  the  entire  distance  is  a  beautiful  one, 
through  an  avenue  of  cryptomeria,  a  species  of 
cedar,  many  of  which  are  over  200  years  old  and  of 
great  size.  We  passed  on  the  way  several  villages 
and  made  two  halts  for  change  of  horses.  The  por- 
tion of  the  road  from  Utsunomiya  is  called  the  Rei- 
pei-shi  Kai-do,  and  is  the  one  along  which  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  Mikado  travelled  in  his  annual 
visits  to  the  shrine  of  Iyeyasu.  The  following  ex- 
plains the  name  :  "  (rei)  envoy  (shi)  sent  to  offer 
presents  (pei)  at  the  chapel  in  front  of  the  tomb." 
Kaido  means  road.  At  Imaichi,  some  seven  miles 
from  Nikko.  it  is  joined  by  another  national  road — 
also  lined  with  cryptomeria — coming  from  the  west. 
The  effect  where  these  two  splendid  avenues  of 
trees  unite  is  very  fine  indeed.  I  measured  the 
diameter  of  one  of  the  largest  of  these  trees  near  its 
base,  and  found  it  over  30  feet. 

At  Imaichi  we  found,  lining  the  road,  a  regiment 
of  cavalry  and  one  of  infantry.  They  were  evidently- 
just  in  from  a  march,  and  had  halted  for  a  rest  or 


236  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

preparatory  to  bivouacking  for  the  night.  The  cav- 
alry men  were  mounted  on  the  native  horse  of  the 
country — a  small  animal  of  12  or  13  hands,  gener- 
ally entire  and  capable  of  a  good  deal  of  hard  work. 
They  were  in  good  flesh,  and  both  men  and  horses 
appeared  as  if  they  were  well  looked  after.  An 
officer  of  the  French  service,  who  is  in  Government 
employ,  was  with  them,  and  I  understand  he  was 
there  for  the  purpose  of  instructing  them  in  the  vari- 
ous arms  of  the  military  service,  and  also  in  what  is 
equally  important — the  best  method  of  marching 
and  caring  for  troops  while  on  the  march.  We 
halted  at  Suzuki's  Hotel,  or  Tea  House,  at  5  p.  m., 
having  driven  the  distance  of  22  miles  in  less  than 
four  hours,  which  was  remarkably  good,  consider- 
ing the  small,  light  ponies  that  drew  us  and  the  load 
— five  grown  men.  So  well  pleased  were  we  that 
the  driver  was  rewarded  by  a  respectable  potir  boire, 
for  which  he  was  exceedingly  grateful.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  afternoon  was  consumed  in  a  walk 
about  the  suburbs  of  Nikko  and  along  the  banks  of 
the  rushing  Daiyagawa,  which  has  all  the  character- 
istics of  a  bold  mountain  stream,  and  the  deposit  of 
debris  near  the  town  is  proof  positive  that  in  high 
water  it  must  assume  the  characteristics  of  a  torrent. 
At  7  p.  m.  we  sat  down  to  dinner  with  appetites 
that  fully  prepared  us  to  do  justice  to  the  very  com- 
fortable and  nicely-served  meal  that  Hakodate  had 
gotten  up.    First  came  a  course  of  soup,  followed  by 


COMFORTABLE   QUARTERS.  2 2,7 

some  mountain  trout  that  our  provider  had  picked 
up.  These  were  followed  in  turn  by  some  substan- 
tial dishes,  to  all  of  which  we  did  ample  justice.  We 
retired  early.  This  being  one  of  my  first  experiences 
in  a  tea  house,  I  felt  somewhat  concerned  as  to  how 
I  should  fare  in  the  way  of  a  bed ;  but  my  guide 
having  taken  the  precaution  of  bringing  along  a  pair 
of  sheets,  I  found,  on  entering  the  sleeping  apart- 
ment, a  most  comfortable  one  on  the  floor — made 
up  of  a  number  of  Japanese  comforters,  which  are 
heavily  wadded,  and  make  a  very  soft  bed.  There 
are  no  bedsteads  in  Japanese  houses — hence  the 
necessity  of  sleeping  on  the  floor.  As  an  additional 
precaution,  the  sheets  were  sprinkled  with  flea-pow- 
der, but  I'm  fully  of  the  opinion  that  this  was  unnec- 
essary, nor  did  I  find  any  in  the  houses  that  I 
afterwards  occupied  ;  but  I'm  told,  on  good  author- 
ity, that  in  midsummer  they  are  abundant  and  very 
annoying. 

Having  a  busy  day  before  us,  we  were  aroused 
quite  early,  and,  taking  a  good  hearty  breakfast,  set 
out  to  inspect  the  famous  shrines  and  tombs,  which 
were  chiefly  the  objects  of  our  visit.  Almost  the 
first  interesting  object  that  one  meets  on  leaving  the 
tea  house  is  the  sacred  bridge,  called  in  Japanese 
Mihashi.  It  is  rather  graceful,  built  of  wood,  and 
painted  red,  and  spans  the  Daiyagawa  River.  Its 
chief  importance  grows  out  of  a  legend  that  is 
attached  to  it.     One  of  the  holy  men  of  Japan,  who 


238  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

visited  Nikko  many  years  since,  reached  this  stream, 
which  at  the  time  was  a  raging  torrent.  Not  being 
able  to  cross,  he  fell  on  his  knees  and  earnestly 
prayed  to  Buddha  and  the  gods  for  assistance.  In 
answer  to  his  petition  the  god  appeared  on  the  oppo- 
site bank,  holding  two  green  and  red  snakes, 
which  he  cast  into  the  torrent,  and  immediately  a 
bridge  was  seen  to  span  the  stream,  and  the  holy 
man  and  his  followers  crossed  in  safety.  It  is  closed 
to  the  general  public,  and  in  former  times  only  the 
Shoguns  and  pilgrims  were  permitted  to  cross  it. 

The  view  up  the  valley  of  the  river  from  the  pub- 
lic bridge,  near  at  hand,  is  very  fine,  and  one  delights 
to  linger  in  this  vicinity  at  the  close  of  the  day.  This 
view  is  a  favorite  one  with  photographers,  and 
one  finds  it  in  almost  every  collection  of  Japanese 
scenery. 

Crossing  the  bridge  and  continuing  our  walk 
through  a  well-paved  avenue,  bordered  by  splendid 
cedars,  we  reached  the  residence  of  the  Shinto 
priests,  who  have  charge  of  the  tombs  and  shrines. 
We  were  invited  in,  and  passed  some  time  in  exam- 
ining some  printed  and  worked  scrolls,  which  con- 
tained incidents  in  the  life  of  their  great  Shogun, 
Iyeyasu — one  who  had  been  instrumental  in  quell- 
ing the  various  dissensions  in  the  Empire,  and  who, 
by  his  firm  government,  was  able  to  administer  the 
laws  of  the  nation,  and  to  keep  the  Daimios,  or  feudal 
lords,  in  quietude.      He  was  canonized  after  death, 


X07ICEABLE    OBJECTS.  23Q 

and  hence  Nikko  became  a  pilgrimage  to  the  loyal 
and  faithful. 

Continuing  our  rounds,  we  proceeded  to  the  broad 
and  paved  avenue,  which  leads  to  some  steps. 
Ascending  these,  we  pass  under  the  granite  torii, 
which  is  nearly  twenty-eight  feet  high,  and  the 
diameter  of  its  columns  more  than  three  feet.  On 
the  left  was  a  wooden  pagoda,  which  is  exceed- 
ingly graceful  and  beautifully  painted.  If  my  mem- 
ory is  correct,  it  is  of  five  stories.  The  signs  of  the 
Japanese  zodiac  adorn  the  lower  story.  Passing  on, 
and  ascending  a  few  steps  more,  we  pass  through 
the  "  Gate  of  the  Two  Kings."  In  this  court  are  some 
beautiful  storehouses,  painted  a  bright  red,  contain- 
ing the  utensils  used  at  the  ceremonies  in  honor  of 
Iyeyasu,  and  the  furniture  and  other  articles  used 
by  that  hero  during  his  lifetime  ;  observing,  as  we 
pass  on,  a  fine  holy-water  cistern  of  gray  granite, 
made  from  a  single  block,  with  granite  columns  sup- 
porting its  roof:  all  are  worthy  of  notice.  After 
this  we  came  to  the  bell  tower,  of  handsome  work- 
manship, and  near  it  a  bronze  candelabra ;  also  a 
bell  presented  by  the  King  of  Corea.  Then,  con- 
tinuing our  walk,  we  ascend  some  steps  and  come 
upon  a  superb  chapel,  an  apartment  of  which  was 
devoted  to  the  use  of  the  Shogun.  In  this  we  were 
permitted  to  examine  some  of  the  precious  relics  of 
the  great  man — such  as  his  sword,  armor,  etc.  In 
this  chapel  I  observed  that  some  of  the  ornaments 


24O  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

represented  the  flower  of  the  peony  (Buddha  is 
usually  represented  as  seated  on  the  lotus).  At  nu- 
merous points  about  these  various  shrines  and  altars 
we  saw  the  crest  of  the  Shogun,  which  consists  of 
three  leaves — I  believe  those  of  the  Kiri  {Paulow- 
nia  Imperialis),  which  has  a  purple  flower,  not  un- 
like, in  appearance,  that  of  the  wisteria,  only  the 
flower  stalks,  instead  of  hanging  down,  shoot  upwards. 
Passing  out  of  the  last  chapel  court  and  ascending 
a  flight  of  200  stone  steps,  we  came  upon  the  tomb 
of  the  great  hero,  which  is  of  bronze,  of  cylindrical 
form,  and  surmounted  by  a  graceful  cap.  Before  it, 
on  a  low  stone  table,  is  an  immense  bronze  stork, 
holding  a  brass  candle,  a  bronze  incense-burner,  and 
a  vase  with  artificial  lotus  flowers.  Two  amainu 
(heavenly  dogs)  stand  guard  near  by.  One  of  the 
great  features  of  this  tomb  and  its  adjuncts  is  the 
superb  manner  in  which  it  is  located — being  on  the 
side  of  a  mountain  and  surrounded  by  as  beautiful 
and  grand  old  trees  (cryptomeria)  as  I've  ever  seen. 
The  shrine  and  tomb  of  Iyemitsu  is  some  little  dis- 
tance from  that  of  his  grandfather,  and  is,  perhaps, 
not  quite  as  rich  in  some  of  its  details  ;  still,  it  is 
very  fine,  and  we  were  conducted  through  every 
part ;  but  I  will  not  tire  you  with  a  detailed  descrip- 
tion. We  were  some  four  hours  making  the  rounds, 
and  at  the  end  quite  ready  for  lunch,  which  was  in 
waiting.  This  disposed  of,  we  made  arrangements 
for  continuing  our  journey  to  Lake  Chiu-zen-ji. 


VISITING  LAKE   CHIU-ZEN-JI  24 1 

But  before  leaving  Nikko  I  must  speak  of  its  at- 
tractions as  a  summer  resort.  Already  the  British 
minister  and  some  members  of  the  Leeation  have 
arranged  for  passing  the  hot  months  there,  and  I 
believe  there  are  other  Europeans  who  will  join 
them.  Its  elevation  (2,000  feet)  above  the  sea, 
added  to  the  numerous  picturesque  walks  and  excur- 
•  sions  in  the  neighborhood,  renders  it  particularly 
attractive  to  those  who  wish  to  escape  the  heat  and 
impure  atmosphere  of  the  crowded  cities. 

The  route  from  Nikko  to  Lake  Chiu-zen-ji  was 
along  and  up  the  valley  of  the  Daiyagawa,  and  is  a 
pretty  steep  climb  for  a  share  of  the  way.  Realizing 
this,  I  had  directed  Hakodate  to  secure  me  a  saddle 
horse,  which  proved  to  be  a  black  stallion  pony, 
without  any  very  malicious  tricks  that  I  discov- 
ered, except,  perhaps,  the  habit  he  occasionally  had 
of  stopping  and  refusing  to  proceed  further  until 
the  betto  (horse  tender  or  groom)  had  turned  him 
around  two  or  three  times,  when  he  would  continue 
the  journey.  The  other  gentlemen  of  the  party, 
being  younger  and  rather  proud  of  their  climbing 
powers,  made  the  journey  on  foot — a  distance  of 
some  ten  miles.  The  road  crosses  the  river  at  sev- 
eral points,  on  rather  shaky  and  unprotected  bridges  ; 
still  I  stuck  to  my  pony,  and  he  proved  worthy  of 
my  confidence.  The  views  along  some  of  the 
mountain   gorges  were  superb,  and  at  one   or  two* 

places  they  included  some  pretty  water-falls,  and  the 
16 


242  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

mountain  sides  were  covered  with  a  delicate  pink 
azalia,  adding  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  I 
also  saw,  on  the  way,  several  varieties  of  trees  com- 
mon to  our  own  latitude,  such  as  the  birch,  oak, 
chestnut,  maple,  and  some  handsome  specimens  of 
the  elm.  I  was  told  the  stream  abounded  in  trout, 
the  best  evidence  of  which  were  some  fine  speci- 
mens that  we  had  that  evening  for  dinner.  We 
reached  the  lake  about  6  p.  m.,  and,  travelling  along 
its  border  for  something  less  than  a  mile,  came  upon 
the  village  of  the  same  name,  and  halted  at  the 
Komeya,  a  comfortable  tea  house  with  rooms  over- 
looking the  lake.  It  is  one  of  the  few  houses 
occupied  at  this  season — most  of  the  others  being 
closed  and  open  only  in  August,  when  the  faithful 
pilgrims  resort  here  in  great  numbers  to  bathe  in 
the  lake  and  worship  at  a  favorite  temple.  Nan-tai- 
zan,  a  sacred  mountain  some  8,000  feet  above  the 
sea,  borders  the  lake,  and  before  retiring  for  the 
night  my  companions  made  arrangements  for  a  guide 
to  ascend  it,  which  they  accomplished  before  break- 
fast the  next  morning — a  sharp  climb  of  5,000  feet, 
the  lake  being  over  3,000  feet  above  the  sea. 

We  left  Chiu-zen-ji  in  the  morning  after  breakfast, 
and  crossed  the  lake  in  one  of  the  native  boats. 
This  pull  of  something  more  than  a  mile  was  a 
charming  one.  The  waters  were  beautifully  clear 
and  placid,  and  reflected  in  the  most  perfect  manner 
the  mountains  which   border  the  lake,  as  also   the 


AN  INTERESTING    TRIP.  ,243 

beautiful  azalias,  which  were  in  perfection.  Gen. 
Wilson,  having  a  good  pair  of  lungs,  produced  some 
wonderful  echoes  that  were  repeated  more  than 
once.  Thfs  lake  reminded  me  of  that  beautiful  body 
of  water  in  Austria,  not  far  from  Salzburg,  called 
the  Koenig  Sea.  After  crossing  the  lake,  we  struck 
into  a  mountain  path  which,  after  a  sharp  climb  of 
about  half  a  mile,  brought  us  to  the  top  of  the  divide 
and  near  the  source  of  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the 
Watarassegawa.  The  view  from  this  divide  was 
splendid,  and  we  lingered  for  a  few  moments  to  ad- 
mire it,  and  then  began,  by  a  zigzag  path,  the 
descent.  The  declivity  is  very  great,  and  the  path 
difficult — being  for  a  part  of  the  way  along  the  bed 
of  the  stream,  filled  with  boulders  and  sharp  stones. 
We  passed,  on  the  way,  numerous  charcoal  pits,  the 
coal  from  which  was  intended  for  the  copper  smelt- 
ing works  below,  which  we  passed  later  in  the  day. 
The  charcoal  laborers  were  powerful  men,  and  we 
saw  them  stao-orerincr  under  some  enormous  loads. 
After  about  one  hour's  walk  down  the  mountain  the 
path  began  to  widen,  and  soon  after  we  came  upon 
our  jinrickishaws,  which  we  had  directed  to  meet  us. 
Most  of  the  party  were  glad  to  exchange  for  this  less 
fatiguing  mode  of  travel.  I  had  before  my  two- 
wheeled  carriage  two  splendid  specimens  of  men, 
who  took  eood  care  of  me  during  much  of  the 
journey  of  that  day. 

The  trip  down  the  valley  of  the  Watarassegawa  is 


244  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

very  fine  indeed,  and  in  the  course  of  its  numerous 
windings  one  has  some  splendid  views.  The  river 
at  some  places  takes  some  bold  leaps,  forming  pretty 
waterfalls  that  enliven  the  scene. 

We  passed,  during  the  day,  numerous  villages  and 
through  large  groves  of  mulberry  trees,  where  the 
silk-worm  is  extensively  grown.  Lower  down  in  the 
valley  I  examined  their  method  of  feeding  the  worms, 
which  simply  consists  of  placing  them  in  large  wicker 
baskets  that  are  arranged  on  bamboo  shelves.  In 
the  first  stage  of  their  growth  the  mulberry  leaves 
are  chopped  up  for  the  young  worms,  and  a  proper 
temperature  kept  up  by  the  use  of  charcoal  heaters. 
When  sufficiently  large  the  entire  leaf  is  fed  to  them. 
All  this  work  is  carried  on  in  the  cottages  of  the 
peasant  farmers,  and  not,  as  some  might  suppose,  in 
establishments  especially  set  apart  for  the  culture  of 
the  silk-worm.  It  requires  some  forty-five  or  fifty 
days  for  the  worm  to  reach  the  stage  where  he  begins 
forming  the  cocoon. 

We  lunched  about  noon  at  Ashiwo  and,  continu- 
ing down  the  river,  halted,  about  6  p.  m.,  for  the 
night  at  Omama — at  a  tea  house  called  Tsutuya. 
Hakodate,  with  his  usual  foresight,  had  taken  the 
precaution  of  sending  our  baggage  on  in  advance, 
and  had  secured  for  us  the  best  quarters  in  the  vil- 
lage. As  the  day's  journey  had  been  a  severe  one, 
we  were  rather  glad  when  the  guide  announced  that 
our  next  day's  journey  would  be  a  short  one.     We 


FAITHFUL  MEN.  245 

therefore  took  it  leisurely,  and  did  not  get  away 
from  Omama  until  after  8  a.  m.  It  rained  and  driz- 
zled most  of  the  morning,  and  from  the  soft  character 
of  the  roads  the  going  was  very  heavy  and  severe 
upon  our  men.  We  passed  through  immense  fields 
of  mulberry  trees,  as,  also,  large  ones  of  wheat  and 
barley.  About  mid-day  we  came  upon  the  Tone- 
gawa  River — a  rapid  mountain  stream — which  we 
crossed  on  a  bridge  of  boats,  and  thence  across  its 
dry  bed  to  the  town  of  Hongo,  where  we  stopped 
for  lunch,  and  here  terminated  our  jinrickishaw 
journey,  as  we  were  now  on  the  line  of  railway  run- 
ning from  Tokio  (Yeddo)  to  Takasake.  After  a 
good  lunch,  we  parted  with  our  faithful  men,  giving 
them  a  substantial  pour  boire,  for  which  they  were 
exceedingly  grateful — acknowledging  their  appreci- 
ation by  coming  to  our  apartment  and  making  re- 
peated and  profound  bows — this  being  done  while 
kneeling  in  our  presence.  One  or  two,  I  think,  had 
already  indulged  in  some  "  sake,"  and  were  more 
profuse  than  the  others,  but  they  were  an  excellent 
set  of  men,  and  I  wish  to  do  justice  to  faithful  work. 
At  3  p.  m.,  we  boarded  the  downward  train,  and  at 
a  point  on  the  line  I  parted  with  my  companions, 
they  going  to  Tokio,  while  I  continued  to  Yokohama, 
reaching  there  in  time  for  dinner.  Thus  termi- 
nated  one  of  the  most  agreeable  and  interesting  ex- 
cursions that  I  made  in  Japan — a  trip  that  was  most 
instructive  in  its  character  and  furnished  as  much  of 


246  YOKOHAMA    TO  NIKKO. 

beauty  and  varied  interest  as  can  be  found,  and  in 
which  I  enjoyed  the  intelligent  companionship  of 
•two  as  good  fellows  as  are  to  be  met.  in  any  part  of 
the  globe.  This  letter  has  grown  to  rather  unusual 
length,  but  I  could  hardly  make  it  less  so  and  com- 
plete the  excursion  in  a  single  epistle,  which  must 
be  my  excuse  for  consuming  so  much  space. 


XXIV. 

YOKOHAMA    AND    ITS    VICINITY. 

GRAND  HOTEL,  YOKOHAMA,  JAPAN. 

(LAT.   35°  26'  N.,  LONG.    I390  39'  E.) 

May  22d,  18S6. 

I  HAVE  made  this  city  head-quarters  during  a 
good  share  of  my  stay  in  Japan,  and  from  it 
made  frequent  excursions  to  interesting  points  in 
the  interior.  The  city  is  very  prettily  situated  on 
the  bay,  and  immediately  in  front  of  it  lies  the 
shipping,  which  embraces  representatives  from  nearly 
every  nation.  It  is  also  a  favorite  rendezvous  for 
our  naval  vessels,  and  as  I  write  the  war-ships  Owa/ia, 
Ossipee,  and  Alert  are  at  anchor  within  less  than 
a  half  mile  of  the  shore.  A  well-cared-for  "  bund  " 
lines  the  water-front,  and  serves  as  an  excellent 
lounging  place  and  a  good  drive.  The  English  and 
American  ladies  of  Yokohama  are  usually  good 
whips,  and  you  generally  find  them  holding  the 
lines,  even  though  there  be  a  gentleman  in  the 
vehicle.     Japanese  ponies  are  cheap,  and  the   cost 


248  YOKOHAMA    AND  ITS    VICINITY. 

of  keeping  one  does  not  often  exceed  $20  per  month, 
including  the  pay  of  the  "  betto,"  who  fills  the  posi- 
tion of  hostler,  outrider,  and  outrunner.  In  the 
latter  capacity  he  runs  in  advance  of  the  team  and 
clears  the  way.  This  is  especially  necessary  when 
you  drive  through  the  rather  narrow  and  crowded 
streets  of  the  Japanese  portion  of  the  city. 

Kanagawa,  a  mile  or  more  up  the  coast,  was  the 
original  port  designated  in  the  first  treaty  as  the  port 
of  entry,  but  as  the  water  was  deeper  and  the  harbor 
generally  better  on  the  Yokohama  side,  the  former 
was  soon  deserted  and  the  present  site  built  upon. 
Our  consuls  are  still  accredited  to  Kanagawa,  but 
their  residence  is  in  Yokohama,  and  one  rarely 
hears  the  former  place  mentioned.  I,  however,  paid 
it  an  afternoon  visit,  and  wandered  through  a  pretty 
Japanese  garden,  where  there  are  some  odd-shaped 
plants  trained  in  various  ways — a  fancy  in  which  the 
Japanese  gardener  delights.  From  the  high  ground 
in  this  deserted  town  one  has  a  fine  view  of  the  bay, 
its  shipping,  and  of  Yokohama. 

On  the  "  bund."  of  which  I  have  spoken,  are 
located  the  hotels,  the  "  Yokohama  United  Club," 
a  few  of  the  residences,  and  the  agencies  of  the 
various  steamship  lines  ;  but  the  principal  tea  ware- 
houses and  establishments  for  firing  the  tea  are  on 
streets  back  of  it,  as  are  also  some  of  the  best  shops 
for  the  sale  of  English  goods  and  Japanese  curios. 
It  was  the  opening  season  of  the  tea  trade  during 


FIRING    TEA.  249 

my  first  day's  stay  in  this  city,  and  every  one  was 
exceedingly  busy  in  looking  after  the  early  crop, 
which  furnishes  some  of  the  best  specimens  of  tea. 
The  young  shoots  of  the  tea  plant  are  the  first 
gathered,  and  make  the  best  teas,  and  it  becomes  a 
•question  both  of  pride  and  profit  for  the  merchant 
to  secure  a  share  of  this  first  picking.  The  tea,  as 
sold  by  the  Japanese  grower  or  farmer,  is  not  in  a 
state  that  suits  the  taste  or  fancy  of  the  foreign 
market;  hence  it  is  fired  again  under  the  supervision 
of  Chinese  experts.  For  this  purpose  large  houses 
are  constructed,  containing  long  rows  of  open  kettles, 
heated  by  small  charcoal  furnaces.  Each  kettle  has 
its  workman,  or  workwoman, — usually  the  latter,- 
and  only  a  limited  quantity  is  fired  at  a  time.  My 
impression  is,  that  it  takes  less  than  a  half  hour  to 
"fire  a  cdven  batch — the  attendant  stirring  it  all  the 
while.  I  visited  one  or  more  of  these  establish- 
ments, and  saw  in  one  instance  over  three  hundred 
hands  employed  in  this  firing  process.  Besides  this, 
there  were  numerous  other  operations  going  on  at 
the  same  time — such  as  assorting,  mixing,  and  pack- 
ing teas,  and  preparing  the  chests  for  shipment.  So 
anxious  are  the  merchants  to  ^et  this  new  tea  to 
market  that  the  day  of  sailing  of  the  San  Pablo  (one 
of  the  steamers  of  the  Pacific  Mail  Line)  was  de- 
ferred two  days  that  she  might  take  the  earliest  pro- 
duct to  the  American  market. 

The  best  quality  of  Japanese  tea  comes  from  the 


25O  YOKOHAMA    AND  ITS    VICINITY. 

vicinity  of  the  town  of  Uji  and  not  far  from  Lake 
Biwa.  It  begins  to  reach  the  market  about  the  10th 
of  May.  The  finest  kinds  are  known  as  Sabo  Mu- 
kashi  and  Gioku-ro,  and  these  are  sold  at  from  $5.00 
to  $7.50  per  pound. 

The  prettiest  section  of  Yokohama,  and  where 
the  lareest  merchants  and  wealthiest  residents  have 
their  homes,  is  on  "  The  Bluff,"  which  is  behind  the 
city  and  elevated  some  two  or  three  hundred  feet 
above  it.  "  The  Bluff"  consists  of  a  long  ridge, 
wider  at  some  points  than  at  others,  and  along  it 
many  pretty  cottage  homes  are  built.  Each  has 
quite  a  plot  of  ground  attached,  which  is  laid  out  in 
fine  taste  and  ornamented  by  Japanese  gardeners, 
who  are  celebrated  for  their  skill  and  odd  fancies  in 
this  species  of  landscape  gardening.  From  the  bluff 
you  have  a  splendid  view  of  the  bay,  and  some  of 
the  residences  command  long  stretches  of  water 
views,  and  in  fine  weather  the  great  snow  peak  Fuji 
(the  sacred  mountain  and  pride  of  Japan)  and  its 
adjacent  mountain  ranges  are  in  sight.  In  a  short 
walk  you  reach,  also,  the  race-track  and  a  back  bay, 
where  bathing  is  excellent. 

As  you  may  imagine  from  the  above,  Yokohama 
is  far  from  being  an  undesirable  residence,  and  it  is 
not  at  all  surprising,  when  you  put  the  question  as 
to  the  length  of  their  stay  in  Japan,  to  get  the  reply  : 
"  It  is  very  uncertain."  They  have  a  temperate 
climate,  a  good  market,  and  excellent  society,  so  that, 


A    CORDIAL    WELCOME. 


2  5I 


excepting  the  loved  ones  at  home,  they  have  but  little 
else  to  ask  for.  It  is  quite  different  at  most  other 
places  in  the  East,  where  every  one  is  looking  for- 
ward to  the  time  of  their  return  to  their  native  land. 
My  friends,  Messrs.  Elliott  and  N.  Ferdinand  Smith, 
two  men  from  Smithtown,  Suffolk  County,  L.  I., 
have  charming  homes  on  "  The  Bluff,"  where  I  was 
made  most  welcome.  In  truth,  I  was  urged  to  drop 
in  at  all  times,  and  was  assured  that  there  was  al- 
ways a  seat  at  the  table  for  me.  They  are  both  fond 
of  field  sports,  and  in  the  shooting  season  bag  their 
portion  of  game.  On  entering  their  grounds  I  was 
always  greeted  by  one  or  more  hunting  dogs  of  the 
setter  or  pointer  breed.  I  am  glad  to  report  that  the 
firm  they  represent,  Smith,  Baker  &  Co.,  stands  as 
well  as  any  in  Yokohama. 

Of  the  excursions  made  in  the  vicinity  of  Yoko- 
hama that  to  Miyanoshita  was  among  the  very  pleas- 
ant ones.  It  is  something  more  than  forty  miles 
distant,  and  the  route  is  along  a  well-travelled  road, 
lined  with  villages.  I  had  excellent  company,  and  the 
trip  was  highly  interesting.  After  passing  Odawara, 
a  town  of  considerable  historic  interest,  the  road  be- 
gins ascending,  and  at  the  small  village  of  Yumoto  the 
carriage  road  stops,  and  from  that  point  on  you  must 
walk  or  be  taken  in  chairs  or  "  kagoes,"  a  species  of 
palanquin  that  I  could  not  stand,  as  in  it  the  body  is 
half  doubled  up  ;  so  that  I  had  a  chair  follow  me, 
and  used  it  in  .the  steep  parts  of  the  road.     Miyano- 


252  YOKOHAMA    AND  ITS    VICINITY. 

shita  is  a  favorite  summer  resort  for  the  foreign  popu- 
lation of  Yokohama,  and  has  a  delightful  summer 
temperature.  There  are  two  hotels,  and  that  called 
Fujiya  is  remarkably  well  kept,  although  the  propri- 
etor is  a  Japanese.  Yet  he  understands  European 
tastes,  and  his  house  is  arranged  for  their  comfort. 
Even  at  this  early  season  (May  3)  I  found  some 
travelling  companions  that  I  had  met  in  China,  who 
were  so  pleased  with  the  place  that  they  were  pass- 
ing some  time  there.  There  are  numerous  hot 
springs  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  water  from 
these  is  conducted  through  the  town,  so  that  you 
have  excellent  hot  baths  at  all  hours.  There  are 
many  picturesque  walks  in  the  vicinity,  and  one  can 
have  a  choice  of  several  delightful  ones. 

The  pretty  little  town  of  Kiga,  situated  in  a  very 
narrow  valley,  and  near  which  you  have  a  fine  view 
of  Fuji  (Fusiyama  of  Europeans),  furnishes  a  short 
walk,  and  is  a  favorite  one  if  you  have  an  hour  or 
two  only  to  spare. 

The  trip  to  Hakone  and  the  lake  on  which  it  lies 
is  a  longer  one,  and  occupies  some  hours,  but  fur- 
nishes some  grand  scenery.  During  the  month  of 
May  the  sides  of  these  mountains  are  clothed  with 
the  beautiful  pink  azalea,  which  adds  greatly  to  the 
beauty  of  the  scene.  I  saw  them  afterward  in 
greater  perfection  about  the  mountains  near  Lake 
Chiu-zen-ji,  of  which  I  have  already  spoken.  On  our 
return  trip  from   Miyanoshita,  which  was  made  on 


BOYS'   DA  Y.  253 

May  5,  we  had  an  excellent  opportunity  of  observing 
one  of  the  peculiar  customs  of  Japan.  It  was  what 
is  called  ""  Boys'  day,"  and  at  every  house  where 
there  had  been  a  boy-baby  born  during  the  year 
there  was  a  tall  bamboo-pole,  from  which  were  fix- 
ing one  or  more  silk  or  paper  fish.  Some  of  these 
were  very  large,  and,  being  of  varied  colors,  the 
effect  was  pretty.  The  mouth  of  the  fish  is  kept 
open  by  a  small  hoop,  and  the  wind  flowing  in  inflates 
the  fish  and  gives  it  a  remarkable  resemblance  to 
the  live  one.  I  counted  at  one  house  as  many  as 
seven  fish  on  a  single  pole.  I  don't  imagine  these 
represented  the  number  of  boy-babies  born  to  that 
house,  but  rather  the  joy  of  the  parents,  for  in  Japan, 
as  elsewhere  throughout  the  East,  the  male  child  is 
greatly  prized  over  the  female.  Kite-flying  was  also 
indulged  in  on  the  5th  of  May,  and  it  seemed  a  gen- 
eral holiday.  Old  as  well  as  young  were  engaged 
in  this  amusement,  and  at  one  village  I  counted  over 
fifty  large  kites  in  the  air  at  one  time.  These  were 
of  various  patterns — some  representing  birds,  others 
monsters,  but  the  favorite  form  is  rather  rectangular- 
shaped.  All  were  gaudily  painted,  and  many  had 
the  cords  so  arranged  as  to  produce  musical  sounds. 
Strange  to  say,  I  don't  recollect  seeing  one  of  the 
bowed  or  kite  shape — the  one  so  popular  with  our 
boys. 

The  proximity  of  this  city  to  Tokio  (Yeddo),  the 
Imperial  capital,  and   the    easy  access  by  rail,  en- 


254 


YOKOHAMA    AND   ITS    VICINITY. 


abled  me  to  make  frequent  visits  there.  It  is  a  very 
large  city — having  nearly  900,000  inhabitants — and 
bountifully  supplied  with  water.  A  large  river  and 
numerous  canals  traverse  it  in  various  directions, 
thus  facilitating  the  transportation  of  heavy  products 
to  different  sections.  Along  these  canals  are  the  chief 
"  o-odowns,"  or  warehouses,  where  are  stored  most 
of  the  supplies.  Even  lumber  is  protected  in  this 
substantial  way,  and  in  case  of  fire  there  is  sufficient 
on  hand  with  which  to  begin  building.  I  believe  it 
is  estimated  that  nearly  all  Japan  is  burned  down 
once  in  ten  years.  No  doubt  some  villages  escape 
much  longer,  but  the  average  life  of  a  Japanese 
wooden  house  is  about  ten  years. 

There  is  much  to  be  seen  in  Tokio,  especially  in 
the  way  of  temples.  Those  about  a  section  of  the 
city  called  Shiba  are  large,  and  the  grounds  and 
walks  are  well  kept.  Here  are  buried  several  of  the 
Shoguns,  or  military  rulers  of  the  country  under  the 
old  regime,  and  their  tombs  are  handsomely  con- 
structed. The  bodies  of  others  rest  at  Ueno,  in  an- 
other quarter  of  the  city.  This  is  a  pretty  part  of 
Tokio,  and  is  much  frequented.  There  is  a  beauti- 
ful park,  handsome  tea  gardens,  and  a  race-course 
with  a  small  lake  in  the  centre — all  within  conve- 
nient distance  of  each  other — and  a  museum,  the  rich- 
ness of  whose  collection  would  compare  favorably 
with  that  of  many  on  the  continent  of  Europe. 

At  a  prominent  point  in  the  park  the  guide  pointed 


THE    GESHA    GIRLS. 


255 


out  two  trees  that  were  planted  by  General  and  Mrs. 
Grant  during  their  visit  to  that  city.  One  of  these 
is  a  fir  and  the  other  a  species  of  magnolia.  Both 
are  apparently  doing  well  and  seemed  flourishing. 

On  one  of  my  visits  to  this  city  I  was  treated  to  a 
native  entertainment,  where  the  "  gesha,"  or  dancing 
ofirls,   contributed  to  our  amusement.      It  beofan  at 
an  early  hour  (6  p.m.)  and  lasted  till  11  p.m.     The 
first  part  consisted  of  a  feast,  or  dinner,  largely  made 
up  of  fish,  rice,  and   sweets — all  washed  down  by 
frequent  cups  of  "  sake,"  a  light  beverage  made  from 
rice,  with  about  the  same  alcoholic  strength  as  mild 
beer.     The  girls  waited  On  us,  and  after  the  repast 
was  finished,  entertained  us  by  a  series  of  dances,  or 
posturings,  in  which  they  introduced  several  figures. 
Fans  were  freely  used,  and  the  dance  was  very  simi- 
lar to  that  I've  described  in  my  letter  from  Kioto. 
After  that  we  had  some  good  juggling  and  legerde- 
main, and  a  ventriloquist  gave   us  some  good  ex- 
hibits of  his  powers.      Sometimes,  I'm  told,  profes- 
sional wrestlers  form  a  part  of  such  entertainments. 
I    was    fortunate    in    one  of  my   visits   at  Tokio 
(Yeddo)  to  get  a  peep  at  the  Empress,  who  I  learned 
intended  visiting  one  of  the  handspme  parks.      By 
stationing  myself  along  the  route  I  heard  she  was 
coming,  I  caught  just  a  glimpse  of  her.     Her  carriage 
was  preceded  by  an  officer  in  full  uniform  and  an 
escort  of  lancers.     Then  followed  the  Oueen  in  a 
light  barouche,  drawn  by  a  pair  of  black  horses  of 


256  YOKOHAMA    AND   ITS    VICINITY. 

the  country.  The  harness  was  trimmed  in  red  and 
gold.  There  were  two  footmen  and  a  valet,  all  in 
dark,  tight-fitting  clothes,  trimmed  in  red  and  gold, 
and  each  wearing  a  gold  cockade.  The  housing 
of  the  carriage  was  in  blue,  and  handsomely  orna- 
mented. As  the  curtains  were  down,  I  only  caught 
a  passing  glimpse  of  the  Empress,  who,  with  her 
attendant,  was  in  Japanese  costume  ;  but  in  the 
otheV  carriage  which  followed  were  both  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  all  in  European  dress,  showing  that  it  is 
accepted  at  court.  This  change  of  dress  is,  I  think, 
to  be  regretted,  as  the  Japanese,  being  of  small 
stature,  do  not  appear  as  well  in  European  costume 
as  in  their  own  flowing  style  of  garments.  The 
Mikado,  when  he  attends  the  races  at  Yokohama, 
wears  the  European  dress.  His  court  or  reception 
dress,  I'm  told,  is  a  uniform  with  swoed. 

Social  life  in  Yokohama  I  find  very  agreeable. 
The  English  mode  of  entertaining,  with  rather 
lengthy  and  set  dinners,  prevails.  The  ladies  have 
their  afternoon  teas,  and  there  are  occasionally  balls 
and  evening  parties.  A  large  one,  given  by  the 
''Yokohama  United  Club"  just  after  my  arrival, 
gave  me  a  good  opportunity  of  seeing  the  best  ele- 
ment in  social  life.  There  have  been  some  exhibi- 
tions of  flowers  that  were  well  worth  a  visit.  A  fine 
collection  of  peonies,  exhibited  by  a  native  gardener, 
was  very  attractive.  I  saw  there  the  greatest  vari- 
ety and  some  of  the  most  delicate  colors,  as  well  as 


EXHIBITION  OF  FLOIYERS.  257 

the  largest  specimens,  of  this  flower  I  have  ever 
seen.  The  ladies  of  the  city  also  held  an  exhibit  of 
flowers  in  the  principal  hall  of  the  town,  which 
brought  out  a  fine  collection  of  flowers  and  plants, 
and  showed  some  excellent  designs  for  decorating 
dinner  tables  and  some  modes  of  training  plants  that 
were  odd  and  interesting.  Among  the  number  was 
a  pagoda,  made  up  of  growing  ferns,  that  was  beau- 
tiful in  form  and  one  of  the  prettiest  things  of  the 
kind  I've  ever  seen.  The  Japanese  have  a  great 
fondness  for  training  plants  in  odd  shapes.  They 
first  dwarf  them  by  cutting  the  tap-root — say  of  the 
pine  or  larch — leaving  some  of  the  minor  roots,  and 
then  by  tying  the  boughs  in  peculiar  shapes,  produce 
almost  anything  the  fancy  dictates.  They  grow 
them  in  a  spiral  form  and  various  other  designs. 
I've  seen  some  very  good  imitations  of  birds — 
particularly  the  stork.  The  roofs  of  cottages  and 
gateways  are  also  imitated. 

This  must  be  my  last  letter  from  Japan,  as  I  sail 
on  the  25th  inst.,  in  the  Oceanic,  for  San  Francisco. 
In  parting  from  this  picturesque  and  very  interest- 
ing country,  as  also  from  its  polite,  amiable,  and  ap- 
parently very  happy  people,  I  can't  avoid  express- 
ing the  feeling,  which  I  believe  is  shared  by  most 
travellers,  that  this  has  proved  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting and  attractive  of  all  the  lands  I've  visited 
in  the  course  of  this  long  journey. 
17 


XXV. 

ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

OCCIDENTAL  &  ORIENTAL    S.S.    "  OCEANIC," 

NEARING   SAN   FRANCISCO,  CAL., 

June  8th,  1886. 

WHEN  one  has  over  4,500  miles  of  water  sep- 
arating them  from  "  the  land  where  they 
would  be,"  a  fair  amount  of  caution  suggests  that 
they  select  in  time  a  good  and  comfortable  ship  in 
which  to  cross  it.  Such  were  my  reflections  when, 
at  the  agency  of  the  Pacific  Mail,  in  Hong-Kong, 
some  months  in  advance  of  my  contemplated  cross- 
ing the  Pacific  Ocean,  I  requested  the  agent  to 
secure  me  a  good  stateroom  (English  cabin)  on  this 
popular  and  well-fitted  ship.  At  best  it  is  a  long 
journey  and  well  tries  the  patience  and  resources  of 
those  who  have  to  take  it,  and  therefore  the  voyage 
should  be  made  under  the  most  favorable  auspices. 
A  good  and  popular  ship  usually  implies  good 
company  and  plenty  of  it.  The  Gaelic  and  Belgic> 
of  the  same  line,  are  entirely  new  ships  and  beauti- 


A    COMFORTABLE   SHIP.  259 

fully  fitted  with  the  addition  of  the  electric  light,  but 
their  dates  for  leaving  Yokohama  were  rather  later 
than  suited  my  purposes  ;  hence  I  chose  this  vessel, 
and  certainly  have  had  no  reason  to  regret  it.  She 
is  the  sister  ship  of  the  ill-fated  Atlantic,  which  was 
lost,  and  with  her  so  many  lives,  and  was  among  the 
earliest  vessels  built  by  the  White  Star  Line  for  the 
Atlantic  trade.  She  has,  however,  been  materially 
altered  to  suit  the  Pacific  traffic,  and  has  some  fine 
large  staterooms  on  the  upper  deck  that  are  particu- 
larly light  and  airy  and  much  sought  for.  Being 
among  the  earliest  applicants,  I  was  fortunate  in 
securing  one. 

Our  runs  have  not  been  very  great — averaging 
about  290  miles  in  twenty-four  hours — or,  say,  about 
1 2  miles  per  hour — something  faster  than  the  steam- 
ers of  the  P.  and  O.  service,  but  not  quite  up  to 
the  speed  of  the  new  Gaelic  or  Belgic  of  this  line, 
and  considerably  slower  than  the  trans-Atlantic 
steamers. 

We  have  a  fair  number  of  passengers — some 
thirty  in  the  first  cabin,  or  saloon,  a  few  Japanese  in 
the  second  cabin,  and  over  800  Chinese  in  the  steer- 
age. Most  of  the  latter  are  bound  for  San  Francisco, 
and  are  returning  under  the  last  Chinese  emigrant 
law — having  been  former  residents  of  the  United 
States.  Why  they  will  face  the  growing  opposition 
in  our  country  I  can't  well  understand,  but  John 
Chinaman  is  a  persistent  fellow,  and  will  take  some 


26o  ACROSS    THE   PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

risks  in  order  to  accumulate  money.  He  shows  his 
force  as  an  emigrant  in  the  "  Strait  Settlements," 
especially  in  such  cities  as  Penang  and  Singapore, 
where  he  has  monopolized  many  branches  of  indus- 
try. You  can't  help  respecting  him  for  his  manly 
efforts,  although  you  may  not  like  Chinese  as  a  body 
or  think  them  desirable  citizens. 

Of  the  cabin  passengers  some  nine  or  ten,  like 
myself,  are  "  round-the-world "  travellers,  or,  as 
they  are  frequently  styled,  "  G.  T.'s" — "  Globe-Trot- 
ters."  Some  of  these  have  been  companions  in 
many  of  my  excursions  in  the  East,  and  encounter- 
ing them  again  on  this  long  voyage  is  like  meeting 
with  old  friends.  A  share  are  officers  of  the  India 
Service,  either  civil  or  military,  returning  to  England 
via  the  United  States,  and  a  few  are  Hong-Kong 
and  China  merchants  that  for  variety  are  taking  this 
route  home.  We  have  a  few  ladies  to  enliven  the 
whole,  who  materially  assist  in  passing  the  long 
hours  on  shipboard.  The  days,  having  been  particu- 
larly bright  and  sunny,  have  also  been  quiet  ones, 
so  that  exercise  on  deck  has  been  practicable  during 
most  of  the  voyage.  The  track  of  our  steamer,  as 
shown  by  the  small  chart  exhibited  in  the  companion- 
way  of  the  ship,  and  on  which  is  recorded  the  daily 
runs  and  a  map  of  our  courses,  is  interesting  as 
showing  the  advantages  of  "  Great  Circle  "  sailing,  in 
place  of  sailing  what  may  be  termed  a  direct  line 
from  port  to  port. 


GREAT  CIRCLE   SAILING.  26 1 

An  examination  of  the  position  of  the  ship,  as 
given  by  her  latitude  and  longitude,  tells  us  that  we 
started  from  Yokohama  in  latitude  35  degrees  26 
minutes  north  and  longitude  139  degrees  39  minutes 
east — only  about  two  degrees  south  of  San  Francisco, 
where  the  latitude  is  $J  degrees  and  49  minutes 
north,  and  that  we  have  travelled  northward  on  the 
arc  of  a  curve  as  high  as  48  degrees  26  minutes,  or 
made  quite  1 3  degrees  of  northing,  and  that  we  were 
over  ten  degrees  to  the  northward  of  the  place  of 
destination.  This  apparent  increase  in  distance  is 
fully  made  up  to  us  by  the  shortness  of  the  degrees 
of  longitude  in  the  higher  latitudes — being  only  about 
48  geographical  miles  at  the  highest  point  ;  and  fur- 
ther, we  were  likely  to  get  the  favorable  northwesterly 
winds  which  prevail  at  this  season  near  the  Ameri- 
can continent,  which  in  some  degree  we  have  done. 
The  difference  in  distance  in  favor  of  the  track  we 
have  followed  over  the  one  that  would  be  made  if 
we  had  sailed  directly  for  San  Francisco  is  about 
300  miles,  and  in  point  of  time  about  24  hours. 

If  your  readers  will  take  the  pains  to  follow  our 
path  on  a  globe,  which  they  readily  can  from  the 
record  below,  they  will  easily  understand  the  force 
of  the  old  saying  (slightly  altered)  that  "  what  seems 
the  longest  way  round  is  actually  the  shortest  way 
home." 

Another  feature  of  the  voyage  that  was  novel  and 
interesting,  and  which  can   only  be  experienced  by 


262  ACROSS    THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN 

\ 

the  traveller  who  crosses  the  180th  meridian  while 
coming  from  the  westward,  is  the  gain  in  a  day. 
We  passed  that  point  on  Tuesday,  June  1st,  and, 
accordingly,  the  record  shows  two  firsts  of  June  and 
two  Tuesdays  ;  and  as  we  sailed  on  Tuesday,  May 
25,  we  had  three  Tuesdays  in  nine  days.  By  making 
the  record  thus,  we  entered  San  Francisco  with  our 
calendars  to  correspond  with  those  of  that  city,  else 
we  should  be  a  day  in  advance.  You  may  recall 
that  Jules  Verne,  in  his  Tour  du  Monde  en  Quatre- 
vi?igt  Jours"  makes  a  point  of  this,  and  the  hero 
really  wins  a  wager,  that  he  fancied  he  had  lost,  on  his 
ability  to  travel  around  the  world  in  80  days.  There 
is  another  point  to  remark  upon,  and  that  is  the 
change  of  longitude  from  east  to  west,  immediately 
upon  crossing  the  180th  meridian — this  in  order  to 
make  it  correspond  with  the  charts,  which  are  so 
constructed — the  longitude  becoming  west  as  soon 
as  you  pass  that  point.  The  following  record  of  our 
daily  runs  and  the  few  incidents  of  the  voyage  may 
not  be  particularly  interesting  reading  ;  still  it  serves 
to  show  the  "  Great  Circle  "  system  of  sailing,  and 
the  dry  details  may  be  appreciated  by  those  who 
have  made  long  voyages  : 

Record  of  voyage  in  O.  &  O.  steamship  Oceanic, 
Captain  Thompson,  between  Yokohama,  Japan,  and 
San  Francisco,  Cal.  Distance,  about  4,530  miles  ; 
average  length  of  passage,  15  days;  left  Yokohama 
at  10.30  a.  m.  on  Tuesday,  May  25,  1886  : 


THE   DAILY  RUNS. 


26' 


Date,  May, 
1SS6. 

Position  at  Noon. 

Temperature. 

Dis.  since  last  rec. 

Total. 

Lat.  N. 

Long.  E. 
14424 

Wed.  26.. 

37-14 

60 

300 

300 

Thu.  27.  . 

39-48 

149.09 

54 

271 

571 

Fri.  2S.  .  . 

42.24 

154.31 

5i 

2S9 

860 

Sat.  29.  .  . 

44.30 

160.04 

43 

274 

H34 

Sun.  30. . . 

46.17 

166.40 

41 

300 

1434 

Mon.  31.  . 

48.05 

173-37 

43 

303 

1737 

June. 

Lat.  N. 

Long.W. 

Tue.  1 .  .  . 

48.19 

179.30 

38 

276 

2013 

Tue.  1.  . . 

48.26 

172.43 

38 

270 

2283 

Wed.  2... 

48.10 

165.39 

42 

2S3 

2566 

Thu.  3... 

47-47 

158.15 

42 

29S 

2864 

Fri.  4.  .  .  . 

46.54 

151.04 

45 

297 

3161 

Sat.  5.... 

45-34 

M3-54 

49 

310 

347i 

Sun.  6.  .  . 

43-55 

137.20 

50 

297 

376S 

Mon.  7. .  . 

41.51 

131-21 

58 

291 

4059 

Tue.  8.  .. 

39.20 

125.38 

5.8 

301 

436o 

Wed.  g. . . 

Distance 

rom  San 

170 

Total  of  ship's  runs 4.530 


Remarks. — Yokohama's  position  by  chart,  latitude 
35.26  north,  longitude  139.39  east ;  position  of  San 
Francisco  by  chart,  latitude  37.49  north,  longitude 
122.28  west.  Remarks  on  state  of  weather,  runs, 
etc. 

May  25th. — Sailed  from  Yokohama ;  morning 
warm,  and  light  clothing  desirable ;  temperature 
about  70°.  Many  friends  came  on  board  to  see  us 
off;  among  those  of  mine  were  Gen.  James  H.  Wil- 
son, Lieut.  T.  Bailey,  Myers,  Mason,  U.  S.  Navy, 
and  Mr.  Ferdinand  Smith,  of  Smith,  Baker  &  Co. 

26th. — Bright,  clear  day,  but  cooler,  and  one  felt 


like  sitting  in  the  sun 


sea  smooth. 


264  ACHOSS   THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

27th. — Considerably  cooler  and  overcoats  neces- 
sary ;  three  blankets  at  night,  day  decidedly  gray. 

28th. — Morning  cloudy  and  gray,  but  sun  came 
out  about  mid-day  ;  sea  still  very  calm.  We  passed, 
yesterday  morning,  immense  streaks  of  the  spawn  of 
the  porpoise  and  other  fish  ;  it  is  of  a  dark  reddish 
color,  and  often,  the  captain  says,  extends  for  miles. 
Many  porpoises  and  whales  in  sight  yesterday  and 
to-day. 

2Qtli. — Weather  dull  and  gray  ;  some  rain  ;  cool- 
est temperature  since  sailing  from  Yokohama. 

joth. — Weather  cooler  ;  wind  fair  since  daylight, 
and  most  of  sail  set ;  day  rainy  and  disagreeable  ; 
no  Sunday  services  ;  first  omission  since  I  left  home 
in  October  last  ;  sea  smooth. 

jist. — Bad  weather  continued  yesterday  afternoon 
and  into  the  night  ;  fog  whistle  began  about  4  r.  m. 
and  continued  till  about  midnight ;  awoke  with 
clear  sky  ;  wind  aft  and  fair,  but  rather  too  slight  to 
be  of  much  service. 

June  1st. — Weather  continued  fine  all  the  after- 
noon of  yesterday,  and  the  wind,  though  light,  was 
favorable  ;  rather  a  heavy  roll  on  and  several  sea- 
sick. Reached  the  highest  point  in  the  "  Great  Cir- 
cle "  sailing  and  crossed  the  180th  meridian;  the 
longitude  now  changes  from  east  to  west,  and  as  we 
have  gained  a  day,  Tuesday,  June  i,  will  be  repeated 
to-morrow. 

June  1  st. — Wind  still  ahead  and  temperature  low, 


TWO  JUNE   iSTS.  265 

rendering  it  disagreeable  on  deck.  Celebrated  the 
event  of  two- June  i's  and  two  Tuesdays  by  treatino- 
all  our  table  to  champagne.  As  we  sailed  on  Tues- 
day, we  have  had  three  in  nine  days. 

2d. — Weather  continues  cold,  but  wind,  although 
light,  has  been  favorable  and  gives  us  hopes  of  a 
good  run,  which  were  partially  realized.  Sun  came 
out,  and  brought  many  on  deck,  where  they  indulged 
in  "shuffle  quoits,"  etc. 

3d. — Fine  in  afternoon  ;  somewhat  foggy  at  night ; 
wind  too  light  to  assist  us  ;  cold  and  raw  ;  sea  calm, 
but  considerable  swell. 

jth.— Sea  has  been  calm  for  the  past  twenty-four 
hours,  and  yesterday  afternoon  was  pleasant  ;  many 
up  on  deck  playing  "  shuffle  quoits  ;  "  to-day  foggy 
and  misty  and  generally  raw  and  unpleasant.  Passed, 
about  ten  a.  m.,  a  sail,  far  away  ;  this  is  the  first  met 
since  leaving". 

5///. — Pleasant  in  afternoon  of  yesterday  and  night 
clear  ;  sails  drew  well  all  night  and  all  of  to-day  ; 
considerably  milder,  but  still  cold  enough  for  over- 
coats. 

6th. — Wind  fair  during  night,  but  light  ;  night 
clear  and  warmer  ;  sun  rose  beautifully  clear  this 
morning,  and  then  it  became  cloudy.  Services  of 
Episcopal  Church  held  in  dining  hall  at  1 1  a.  m. 

yth. — Day  all  that  could  be  wished  ;  beautiful, 
bright,  clear,  and  mild  ;   no  wind. 

8th. — Day  continued  fine  ;  night  beautifully  star- 


266  ACROSS    THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

light ;  wind  sprung  up  about  midnight  from  north- 
west, and  we  have  been  running  at  good  speed  ever 
since  ;  will  probably  anchor  about  midnight  in  San 
Francisco  Harbor. 

gth. — Palace  Hotel,  San  Francisco ;  arrived  as 
anticipated  ;  passed  Custom  House  inspection  with- 
out difficulty,  and  were  at  this  comfortable  hotel 
by  1 1  a.  m. 

The  completion  of  this  ocean  voyage — the  tenth 
since  leaving  New  York  City — virtually  terminates 
my  journey  around  the  world,  although  our  conti- 
nent has  still  to  be  crossed  before  reaching  the  start- 
ing point ;  yet  it  is  so  well  known  that  I  shall  hardly 
venture  to  keep  up  this  journal  in  the  detailed  form 
that  I  have  been  doing.  I  may,  however,  if  I  visit 
places  of  special  interest,  send  one  or  more  letters. 


A 


XXVI. 
VISITING    THE    YOSEMITE. 

Barnard's  hotel,  yosemite  valley,  cal., 

June  jyth,  1886. 

TOUR  around  the  world  without  visiting  the 


Yosemite  Valley  would  hardly  be  complete, 
especially  in  these  days,  when  most  travellers,  and 
particularly  those  from  foreign  lands,  are  so  full  of  it. 
They  all  know  more  or  less  of  its  attractions,  and 
I'm  free  to  confess  that  I  learned  more  of  the 
wonders  and  grandeur  of  this  valley  from  my  fellow- 
travellers  abroad  than  I  had  ever  before  heard  of. 
It  seems  to  be  one  of  the  points  that  Europeans  are 
bent  upon  visiting  when  they  reach  America. 

Under  such  circumstances  I  could  hardly  do  less 
than  include  it  in  my  "  run  around  the  world,"  and 
the  object  of  this  letter  is  to  give  some  of  the  im- 
pressions. 

There  are  two  principal  routes  to  the  great  canon 
of  the  Merced  River — one  by  way  of  Stockton  ;  the 
other  (called  the  Berenda)  that  takes  you  by  way  of 


2  68  VISITING    THE    YO SEMITE. 

Raymond,  Grant's,  and  the  Mariposa  Big  Trees. 
Visitino-  the  agencies  of  these  routes  in  San  Fran- 
cisco  entirely  unprejudiced,  and  with  the  most 
honest  intentions  of  finding  out  the  best,  you  come 
away  from  each  with  a  feeling  that  you  are  in  greater 
perplexity  as  to  choice  than  before  you  began  your 
investigation.  Each  agent  makes  his  so  much  the 
superior  of  the  other  that  you  wish  you  had  avoided 
both  and  asked  the  first  intelligent  citizen  you  met 
on  the  street.  Fortunately  for  me,  I  encountered  a 
party  that  had  determined  upon  the  Berenda  route, 
and  as  it  was  made  up  of  fellow-travellers  across  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  I  was  not  long  in  making  up  my  mind 
to  accept  the  proposition  of  joining  them. 

We  made  a  party  of  six — just  about  the  number 
to  fill  a  coach  without  overcrowding — and  as  all 
proved  most  harmonious  and  entertaining,  I  take  the 
liberty  of  adding  their  names  :  Mr.  Cromie,  of  Lon- 
don, an  old  travelling  companion  of  mine  in  a  trip 
across  the  Atlantic  in  '83  ;  Mr.  Lind,  of  Scotland, 
long  time  representing  the  P.  &  O.  Steamship  Com- 
pany ;  Mr.  Michaelson,  of  Bremen,  of  the  firm  of 
Melchers  &  Co.,  of  Shanghai  ;  Mr.  Townsend,  of 
Manilla  ;  and  Mr.  Green,  of  a  banking  house  in  this 
city  (San  Francisco). 

Leaving  San  Francisco  by  the  3.30  p.m.  train,  we 
crossed  in  a  very  comfortable  ferry-boat  to  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  bay,  and  in  a  large  wooden  station 
took  a  sleeper  by  the  Southern  Pacific  Road. 


SAN  FRANCISCO  BAY.  269 

The  sail  across  San  Francisco  Bay — some  twenty- 
five  minutes — was  interesting,  and  gave  an  admira- 
ble view  of  the  shipping,  the  islands,  and  of  San 
Francisco  itself,  the  site  of  which  is  picturesque,  but, 
owing  to  the  irregular  manner  in  which  it  is  built, 
and  the  great  variety  of  structures  (mostly  of  wood), 
and  these  painted  a  dull  gray  color,  it  did  not  appear 
to  me  particularly  pleasing.  We  started  punctually, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  reached  Oakland,  the  Brook- 
lyn of  San  Francisco.  It  is  a  pretty  town  and  a 
favorite  place  of  residence,  as  you  escape  the  chilly 
winds  which  blow  continually,  during  the  summer, 
about  San  Francisco.  Shortly  after  leaving  Oak- 
land we  reached  Berkley,  a  handsome  village,  sit- 
uated on  the  slope  of  a  high  range  of  hills  and  with 
a  southern  exposure.  Both  it  and  Oakland  have 
long  avenues  of  trees — chiefly  the  Eucalyptus  Glo- 
bulus— which  add  greatly  to  their  attractiveness. 
These  trees  are  the  growth  of  recent  years,  as  the 
last  time  I  saw  Oakland  it  had  only  the  low  native 
live-oak,  and  those  were  not  numerous. 

The  line  of  railway  skirts  along  the  shore  of  San 
Pablo  Bay  and  the  Straits  of  Carquinez,  which  con- 
nect it  with  Suisun  Bay.  We  stopped  for  a  few 
minutes  at  Port  Costa,  the  narrowest  point  in  the 
strait,  and  immediately  opposite  Be'nicia.  At  this 
place  trains  bound  for  the  north  and  eastward  are 
taken  on  a  large  transfer-boat,  capable  of  holding 
nearly  fifty  cars,  and  crossed  to  Benicia.     While  the 


27O  VISITING    THE    YO SEMITE. 

train  stopped  I  had  an  opportunity  of  looking  across 
the  strait  at  Benicia,  which  I  knew  thirty-four  years 
ago.  Then  it  was  a  barren-looking  spot,  with 
scarcely  a  green  thing  to  be  seen.  It  now  has  quite 
dense  foliage — so  thick  at  some  points  as  to  hide 
many  of  the  buildings  of  the  town.  Continuing  our 
journey  southward,  the  line  leaves  the  border  of  the 
straits  near  Antioch,  and  then  strikes  across  country 
through  a  rich  agricultural  and  wheat-growing  dis- 
trict. Most  of  the  wheat  had  been  gathered,  but 
there  were  still  some  enormous  fields  where  the  grain 
was  still  standing,  and  which  attracted  the  attention 
of  my  English  travelling  companions.  Many  of  the 
farmers  along  the  line  were  engaged  in  gathering 
their  hay  crop,  which  consists  largely  of  oats,  bar- 
ley, and  wheat,  cut  while  in  the  milk  and  when  the 
largest  amount  of  nutriment  is  found  in  the  stalk  of 
the  plant.  This  makes  excellent  feed,  as  the  sleek 
coats  of  the  California  horses  attest.  Of  course,  the 
climate  has  something  to  do  with  the  good  condition 
of  all  animals  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

We  stopped  for  supper  at  Lathrop,  95  miles  from 
San  Francisco  ;  and  if  there  is  a  meaner  and  less 
attractive  station  for  refreshment  than  this,  I  hope 
I  shall  not  encounter  it.  Berenda,  178  miles,  was 
reached  about  half  past  eleven,  when  our  car  was 
detached  from  the  train,  and  we  passed  the  night  on 
a  side  track — starting,  early  next  morning,  for  Ray- 
mond, where  we  breakfasted  and   at  once  took  a 


A    MOUNTAIN    VETERAN.  2/1 

four-horse  coach  for  Grant's,  22  miles  away.  The 
country  passed  over  was  rolling  and  at  many  points 
finely  wooded  with  good  specimens  of  the  oak.  Be- 
fore reaching  Grant's,  where  we  dined,  the  country 
became  almost  mountainous,  and  we  passed  some 
quartz  mining  establishments. 

Judge  Grant,  as  he  is  known  in  this  section — a 
man  of  over  seventy-three  years-2— came  out  to  wel- 
come us,  and  busied  himself  about  our  various  needs 
— such  as  showing  us  the  washroom,  taking  our 
hats,  dusting  us  off — in  fact,  filling  the  position  of 
both  host  and  helper.  He  also  assisted  at  table 
during  dinner,  and  was  ready  to  answer  the  numer- 
ous questions  propounded  by  curious  travellers.  I 
am  thus  minute  in  my  details  concerning  our  host, 
as  we  learned  afterwards  that  he  was  a  man  of 
large  wealth — variously  estimated  at  from  a  million 
upward — and  had  chosen  this  spot  to  end  his  days 
in — believing  the  climate  of  the  country  would  add 
a  few  more  years  to  his  present  three  score  and 
twelve.  Some  of  my  European  friends  were  amazed 
when  his  history,  and  especially  his  large  wealth, 
was  told  them,  and  were  loath  to  credit  it — remark- 
ing, as  they  became  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  his  life, 
that  "such  an  instance  could  only  be  found  in 
America — never  in  Europe."  The  country  from 
Grant's  to  Clark's  (twelve  miles)  grew  bolder,  and 
some  of  the  mountains  we  crossed  were  exceedingly 
abrupt ;  but  as  we  were  on  a  well-engineered  road, 


2/2  VISITING    THE    YO SEMITE. 

our  animals  were  not  over-fatigued.  Splendid  spe- 
cimens of  pine  and  cedar,  with  some  fir  and  oak, 
covered  the  country — many  of  the  former  rising  over 
200  feet. 

We  reached  Clark's  about  6  p.  m.,  where  we 
stopped  for  the  night.  In  a  small  studio  near  the 
hotel  we  saw  some  well-painted  views  of  the  noted 
points  in  the  Yosemite  (Indian,  "  Large  Grizzly 
Bear"),  by  Mr.  Hill,  an  artist  who  ranks  well  in  his 
mountain  views.  He  was  represented  by  his  son,  who 
received  us  very  kindly,  and  also  gave  us  some  use- 
ful hints  as  to  the  best  mode  of  seeing-  the  most  in- 
teresting  points.  He  recommended  that  after  our 
arrival  and  lunch  on  the  following  day,  we  take  a 
drive  through  the  valley  and  see  the  wondrous 
mountains  from  that  level  ;  the  next  day  visit  Mirror 
Lake,  Vernal  and  Nevada  Falls ;  and  on  the  third 
day  Glacier  Point  and  Sentinel  Dome.  This  order 
we  followed,  and  after  my  experience  I  don't  think 
any  more  comprehensive  plan  could  be  taken  ;  and 
in  the  course  of  these  excursions  you  are  repeatedly 
in  view  of  the  main  valley  and  of  the  mountain  peaks 
which  border  it,  as  well  as  numerous  beautiful  falls. 

Our  drive  from  Clark's  to  this  hotel  was  over  much 
the  same  character  of  country  as  on  the  previous 
afternoon — the  road  following  alone  the  south  fork 
of  the  Merced  River,  and  rising  constantly  till  you 
reach  the  summit — 6,700  feet.  At  Lookout  Point 
we  had  a  fine  view  of  Signal  Peak,  the  canon  of  the 


SPLENDID  MOUNTAINS.  273 

Merced,  and  distant  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin.  The 
country  is  heavily  timbered  with  superb  trees  of  tin 
Coniferous  family.  The  first  glimpse  we  caught  of 
the  Yosemite  Valley  was  a  good  one — El  Capitan 
(7,000  feet)  being  directly  in  front.  Beyond  that 
were  the  Three  Brothers  (6,700),  and  in  the  farther 
distance  North  Dome  (7,525),  and  Basket  Dome 
(7,600).  As  we  descended,  other  peaks  became 
prominent,  such  as  the  Cathedral  Spire  (5,900),  etc. 
At  Artist's  Point,  directly  on  the  stage  road  and 
some  5,000  feet  above  the  sea,  we  had  the  most 
comprehensive  view.  It  is  a  favorite  one  for  taking 
a  general  view  of  the  valley,  and  was  named  by  Hill, 
the  artist  already  spoken  of. 

After  our  descent  to  the  level  of -this  valley,  we 
had  a  splendid  drive  of  some  three  miles  through 
famous  forest  trees  to  this  hotel,  passing  en  route 
that  gem,  the  Maiden's  Fall.  It  certainly  is  one  of 
the  prettiest  that  is  to  be  found  in  this  valley,  and 
near  sunset,  when  the  sun  shines  directly  upon  it, 
is  developed  a  superb  rainbow  that  heightens  its 
beauty. 

We  found  comfortable  rooms  and  fare  at  this  hotel, 
which  is  the  farthest  up  the  valley  and  borders  the 
Merced  River.  From  its  rear  gallery  one  has  a 
splendid  view  of  the  Yosemite  Falls,  the  water  of 
which  takes  its  first  leap  of  1,600  feet,  the  second  of 
534,  and  the  third  of  500  feet,  the  view  of  the  upp<-i 

fall  being  especially  fine  from  this  hotel. 

18 


2  74  VISITING    THE    YOSEMITE. 

Our  excursion  to  Mirror  Lake  and  Vernal  and 
Nevada  Falls — all  made  in  one  day — was  to  me  the 
most  interesting  of  our  trips  about  the  valley.  Mak- 
ing an  early  morning  start,  we  were  at  the  lake  just 
in  time  to  see  the  massive  mountains  which  rise 
above  it  beautifully  reflected  from  its  surface.  The 
foliage,  too,  which  surrounds  it,  was  equally  dis- 
tinct. After  admiring  it  for  a  time,  we  mounted  our 
ponies  and  travelled  up  the  mountain  side  till  near 
the  Vernal  Fall — a  beautiful  one  of  350  feet,  which 
comes  down  in  a  most  graceful  manner,  and  with  its 
surroundings  forms  a  beautiful  picture.  Continuing 
the  ascent,  we  reached,  by  a  circuitous  route,  the 
level  of  the  fall,  and  near  it,  as  if  especially  placed 
for  our  pleasure,  nature  has  arranged  a  regular  stone 
parapet,  over  which  we  looked  down  upon  as  beau- 
tiful a  rainbow  as  I've  ever  beheld.  After  admirine 
it  for  a  long  time  we  continued  on  up  the  stream 
and  stopped  upon  a  graceful  wooden  bridge  which 
crosses  the  river,  where  we  lingered  for  some  con- 
siderable time,  admiring  the  grand  rapids  passing 
under  us.  The  waters  of  these  rapids  are  converted 
into  the  largest  imaginable  globules,  the  sunlight 
upon  which  gives  them  the  effect  of  large,  sparkling 
diamonds.  A  little  beyond  this  is  Snow's  Hotel, 
where  we  halted  for  lunch. 

The  view  of  the  Nevada  Fall,  which  is  only  a 
short  distance  above  the  house,  was  to  me  a  most 
impressive  one,  and  I  watched  it  from  the  piazza  of 


AN  IMPRESSIVE   SCENE.  275 

an  adjoining-  cottage  with  great  interest  and  admira- 
tion. The  waters,  contracted  into  a  narrow  Sforgre, 
come  rushing  along  to  the  brink  of  the  precipice, 
when  they  suddenly  take  a  fearful  leap  of  700  feet 
and  are  soon  dissolved  into  a  series  of  massive 
ridges  of  foamy  whiteness,  interspersed  with  numer- 
ous and  beautiful  shooting  darts,  greatly  resembling 
in  form,  though  not  in  color,  the  track  made  by  me- 
teors when  shooting  through  the  sky,  and  like  them, 
too,  they  imperceptibly  disappear  as  they  descend 
through  space.  The  entire  surroundings  are  grand 
and  ennobling.  An  enormous  amphitheatre  of  tow- 
ering granite  rocks,  among  them  the  "  Cap  of 
Liberty"  (7,060  feet),  incloses  the  basin,  into  which 
the  waters  descend,  and  tall,  graceful  pines  stand 
about  as  if  admiring  the  scene  and  these  wonderful 
works  of  nature. 

The  excursion  to  Glacier  Point  (7,200  feet)  and 
Sentinel  Dome  (8,120  feet)  proved  a  most  interest- 
ing one  and  crave  us  beautiful  and  commanding 
views  of  the  valley,  its  various  water-falls,  and  the 
mountains  which  surround  it.  From  Sentinel  Dome 
you  have  a  view  of  many  of  the  peaks  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  range — one  over  13,000  feet  in  height. 

To  the  lover  of  sport  I  would  say  that  this  locality 
furnishes  a  good  field.  Large  strings  of  the  rainbow 
trout  are  daily  brought  in  by  the  Indians,  who  are 
good  fishermen,  and  later  in  the  season  deer  can  be 
found  in  considerable  numbers.     In  our  excursion  to 


276  VISITING    THE    YO SEMITE. 

the  Nevada  Fall  I  passed,  on  the  trail,  the  tracks  of 
two  bears,  which  the  guide  said  had  been  there  that 
morning. 

We  leave  here  to-morrow  morning — returning  by 
the  same  route  we  came  ;  but  as  we  visit  the  Mari- 
posa Grove  of  Big  Trees  after  reaching  Clark's,  I'll 
keep  this  letter  open,  that  I  may  tell  something 
about  these  monsters  of  the  forest. 

Palace  Hotel,  San  Francisco, 

June  20th,  1886. 

Back  aeain  at  this  comfortable  hotel,  and  rio-ht 
glad  we  were  to  reach  it  after  two  days  of  hot,  dusty 
travelling.  We  arrived  at  Clark's  on  our  return  (26 
miles)  at  12  m.,  and  after  a  hurried  dinner  were 
rushed  off  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  day  to  the  Big 
Tree  Grove,  nine  miles  away,  and  not  in  a  very 
good  frame  of  mind  to  do  justice  to  these  stupendous 
monarchs  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  However,  that 
was  not  the  fault  of  the  trees,  but  of  the  stage  agents 
and  employees,  who  wish  to  consult  their  own  con- 
venience rather  than  the  pleasure  of  travellers. 

The  big  trees  are  certainly  wonders,  and  grow 
upon  one  the  longer  they  are  examined.  The  fol- 
lowing- are  the  names  and  dimensions  of  a  few  that 
I  observed  :  "  Grizzly  Giant,"  72  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence and  at  least  200  feet  in  height ;  "  Faithful 
Couple,"  67  feet ;  and  "  Lafayette,"  70  feet.  A 
very  tall,  handsome  specimen  is  named  in  honor  of 
that  great  and  good  man,  Abraham  Lincoln.     The 


A   MONSTER    TREE.  2  J  J 

poets  Longfellow  and  Whittier  are  also  remem- 
bered by  two  fine  specimens  standing  near  each 
other.  The  mountain  road,  which  makes  a  circuit 
of  the  Big  Tree  Grove,  passing  near  the  finest 
specimens,  is  so  constructed  that  it  runs  directly 
through  one  of  these  living  monsters,  and  with  our 
four-horse  coach  we  drove  through  the  one  called 
"  Wawona,"  halting  just  as  the  leaders  reached  the 
opposite  side — the  hind  wheels  being  on  a  line  with 
the  side  on  which  we  had  entered.  This  grave  us 
probably  one  of  the  best  and  strongest  proofs  of 
their  great  dimensions,  viz.,  a  four-horse  coach 
within  the  circumference  of  a  standing  and  living 
tree. 

This  grove,  like  the  Yosemite  Valley,  is  now  the 
property  of  the  State — having  been  presented  by 
the  General  Government  under  certain  wise  pro- 
visions— and  each  has  a  <niardian  who  looks  after 
them  and  assigns  camping  ground  for  those  who 
wish  to  visit  there  in  that  manner.  For  the  in- 
formation of  the  visitor  of  the  future  to  either  of 
these  interesting  points,  I  will  add  that  I've  heard 
that  the  railroad  company  is  pushing  forward  its 
line,  and  that  probably  within  a  year  or  two  both 
will  be  reached  with  great  ease  and  rapidity. 


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THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

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